Heritage of the Wolf: Salvation, Part 3
by The Cool Kat
Summary: Only a week before his wedding to Jenna, Balto is forced to fight both Steele and City Hall in order to protect his new life in Nome. Will the wolf-dog crack under the pressure, or rise up to his greatest challenge yet? Dedicated to AniUniverse, Kodiwolf321, Mojotheomegawolf, iWolf231, Cyberwulfe, and WolfdogmeetstheLionKing.
1. Chapter 1: Silence

_**Introduction:**_

Hello everyone. I'm the Cool Kat, and as all of you know, today is Saturday, Oct 27, 2012. I can't believe that it's been almost a year since Balto and Jenna faced Steele in the Old Mill. It's been nearly _365 days_ since I posted "_**Salvation, Part 2**_" on October 30, 2011. Yeah, I know it's been a while since I wrote that cliffhanger, but I still can't quite wrap my mind around an entire year. And for all of you who've been waiting for me to update since then, I thank you all for being so patient, and I am so, so sorry for keeping you waiting this long.

The original release date was mid-September, but that got pushed back because of a collaboration fic I did with another author (when I have to choose between my writing my own stories, or keeping a promise I made to a friend, I try to put friendship first whenever I can). But in the end, pushing back "_**Salvation, Part 3**_" worked for the best, because now this fic starts before Halloween (happy Halloween by the way), and ends right before Thanksgiving (unless you live outside the US, in which case Thanksgiving has either already come or hasn't come yet. Like my Canadian friend, WolfdogmeetstheLionKing. By the way Shawn, I've always been curious about this. Why is Thanksgiving in October in Canada?).

"_**Salvation, Part 1**_" was my very first fanfic, freshly revised and published on September 17, 2011. And no one on this site ever forgets their first story, whether it's a funny one-shot or a multi-chaptered drama. It's hard for me to say what were my favorite moments in that story, since I enjoyed writing every chapter. But the parts that really stood out for me, the defining moments in the fic, are Balto proposing to Jenna, Jenna's family arriving in Nome, Jenna's first trip to Balto's trawler, Jenna rocking the Old Mill with Dixie and Sylvie, and Balto triumphing over Devil's gang, right before saying good-bye to Jenna in an act of selfishness I can't even imagine doing. Let's just say Balto and Jenna experienced what it was like to be Romeo and Juliet at a very early age.

"_**Salvation, Part 2**_" was a bit more low-key. While Part 1 was about Balto's origins, and his tragic love story with Jenna, Part 2 was more about the aftermath of the serum run, and Balto adjusting to his new hero status. When I first finished Part 2, I was slightly disappointed by the way it turned out. I thought it was boring and uninteresting, but guys like AniUniverse, Kodiwolf231, Mojotheamoroq, and WolfdogmeetstheLionKing seem to disagree, so I guess it wasn't that lackluster. After rereading the second installment, I realized it was a lot more domestic than Part 1, and there was a lot more talking in it than there was in Part 1, but that didn't necessarily make it boring. Besides, it was probably a good idea to take it slow after such an explosive event like the serum run. Even heroes need a breather every now and again. There was another thing that surprised me when I looked back on Part 2. I can hardly believed I was actually able to write a sequel to a project, only a few weeks after I finished writing the first one. For an absent-minded guy like me, that was a lucky achievement. Unfortunately, the next gap between the trilogy was a bit longer.

I had actually planned to write the finale of the Salvation trilogy at the start of the new year, but I came down this really bad case of writer's block (truly horrible), and I ended up writing a completely different story, "_**Erdan 2**_", to break it. My first Kung Fu Panda fic, writing for (who else?) Wolf Boss (dubbed Zhong) and his adopted son Erdan. It was actually a great experience (writing for characters that have opposable thumbs makes things a whole lot easier), and I think my writing style has really improved because of all the great advice I got from other authors. Not to mention I made a new friend in the process. But "_**Erdan 2**_" did run on a lot longer than I thought it was going to. What I had imagined would be a three month project actually turned out to be eight months.

And while I was doing that, I was working on this collaboration fic with an old buddy of mine, Kodiwolf321 (fanfic author, rapper, songwriter, maybe you've read some of his fics? He does quite a few collabs with other authors), called "_**The Revenge and Redemption of Steele**_". It was my first time writing for Balto's son Kodi, and his wife Dusty (with an unborn child on the way to boot). It was also my first experience writing for a relationship that wasn't the usual boy/girl thing. Ah Blake and Griff, what an odd pair you guys were. The brawler and the boy scout. The hothead and the pacifist. The idea of having two male sled dogs snuggle together for warmth might seem weird and uncomfortable to some, but being a gay writer myself, every scene they were in together felt so right, every bit as normal as Balto hugging Jenna. So Griff and Blake are easily my two favorite OCs I've created so far. Plus, Steele got to be more than just the usual bad guy, and actually help Balto for once instead of adding to his problems. It was a lot of fun, and an enormous relief to write something that wasn't 26 chapters long or extended beyond one part (I really need to write smaller, self-contained fics more often. They're done and over with a lot faster, and a lot less tiresome).

While we're on the subject, I wanna set a few records straight, and for those of you who are a bit sensitive about this subject, I suggest you skip the next few paragraphs. When I first started posting "_**The Revenge and Redemption of Steele**_" in September, it got a lot of mixed reviews. Normally I wouldn't think too much about that. After all, you can't force someone to like what you write, and a little constructive criticism never hurt anyone so long as it's good-natured (I'm always telling people not to be afraid to be honest with me). Except, some of them weren't about whether or not the story was good or bad, or whether the grammar needed improving. Some of them were from some people who had read my previous fics, and always preferred my traditional pairings over my alternative ones. For those of you who reviewed that day, and are reading this right now, I want you to know right now that I hold no hard feelings towards you, especially since you were all so nice and understanding about it (except for that MattKearneyfan guy, who's review was so spiteful and ignorant that I hope he never comes near another one of my stories again. Like I said, I never ignore a review whether it's positive or negative, unless it's a flame, which was only written for one purpose, to hurt people). And as for that anonymous guy who posted a review in the beginning, I'm glad you'll still read my other fics, even if your views aren't the same as mine. You're a real nice guy, my friend.

After all, Kodiwolf and I came into that project knowing that a everyone's values and ideals are different, and that a lot of straight readers probably wouldn't be interested in that fic (with the exception of Animation Universe, who continues to surprise me everyday with a curiosity that's even bigger than mine). I imagine my actions over the past year must have been quite weird to you guys. First I write two fics about Balto and Jenna getting engaged, and I promise you a third one in a few months. But then I turn my attention to a Wolf Boss fic (you know, that bad guy wolf who beat up Po in "_**Kung Fu Panda 2**_"? If any of you have ever seen that movie. I know that a lot Balto fans aren't that into Kung Fu Panda. I wasn't either until last December) for eight months before I return to the Balto community with a story that isn't the long overdue third part of "_**Salvation**_", but a slash fic where Steele and Kaltag are lovers (I always thought Steele and his right hand man had an interesting dynamic, where Kaltag claims he lives to follow him, but he really can't stand him. I couldn't resist putting on the slash goggles).

I wanna say again that I would never try to force my opinions and ideals on you guys, but I'll always write gay fics as well as straight ones (the number will be pretty even over the next year). I'm proud to be gay, but that doesn't mean that I'll limit myself to just one type of fic. I also get the urge to write a good Balto and Jenna story every now and then. So that's why I always pack so much detail into my summaries (without giving away the whole plot), so that you guys can know what you're getting yourselves into before you start reading (and make sure you check the ratings too, they're important). I respect the fact that everyone sees cartoon characters in their own way. Because while I'm a big Tintin/Haddock shipper, I know that to some people they'll always be just friends. Or how I think Balto & Steele, and Po & Wolf Boss would make great main characters for a slash fic (how can you hate someone, but love them too all at the same time?), but to most they'll always be enemies.

So again, I thank you guys so much for being so patient, especially since Part 2 ended on a year-long cliffhanger. I'd also like to thank you guys for the great reviews you posted between now and last October. Although my fics were barely even noticed when I first posted them, they really seemed to draw attention during the summer, and I met a lot of other Balto fans because of it. Among some of them I'd like to thank are Kodiwolf231, the very first to comment on my stories, and my oldest friend on this site. Not to mention Mojotheomegawolf, for reviewing back in January. Thanks Mojo, for giving these stories the time of day, and doing a fellow writer a favor when hardly anyone else would. I'd also like to thank Animation Universe 2005, for reviewing all four of my stories thus far. Just like Mojo and Kodiwolf, I have the utmost respect for you friend, and wish you lots of luck with your own compositions. I'm also grateful to DemonKing97, The Ultra Grand, Exmoorpony, and for popping in from time to time and surprising me with a new message in my inbox whenever I least expected it.

And most of all, I'd like to thank WolfdogMeetsTheLionKing, for not only giving me two wonderfully detailed reviews that covered all the fundamental review bases (the good, the bad, what worked, what didn't work, your favorite scenes, yada, yada, yada), but also listening to the orchestral tracks I listed. Buddy, every now and again it's nice to meet another user who likes orchestra music. It's such an underappreciated genre, but it has so much heart and power to it (I'm smiling right now, just thinking about "_**The Doctor's Theme: Series Four**_").

Before we get into this, I'd just like to warn you guys right now. If you haven't read Salvation, Part 1 and Part 2, this story won't make any sense to you, _at all_. And if you have already read them before, you might want to think about rereading them now, since this fic literally picks up right where the last one left off, and resolves a lot of concepts that were introduced in the previous ones. As far as the music goes, like before, this story contains tracks from the Doctor Who soundtracks, brilliantly composted by Murray Gold and stunningly brought to life by the BBC National Orchestra. Most of the themes I assigned for Balto and Jenna in Part 1 return here (both the tracks themselves and variations on them), most significantly "_**I Am The Doctor**_", Balto's motif. The 7/11 rhythm returns here, but in a new form, bigger and bolder, and maybe even more epic, than before, as Balto faces a whole new set of challenges to overcome.

Basically, Part 1 introduced all the characters you needed to know, and Part 2 sets up everyone and everything up for the finale. So now, without further ado, I present "_**Salvation, Part 3**_", the conclusion to the engagement story that's been twelve months overdue.

_**Chapter 1: Silence.**_

_**Nome, Alaska, 12:00 P.M. Tuesday, February 3, 1925:**_

Silence fell across the land. The never ending silence was enough to send chills up the spines of everyone and everything within a five mile radius. Normally, the small country (soon to become state) of Alaska was always loud, exploding everyday with the sound of raging wind and blustering blizzards. But on this one specific day, everything was quiet. The harsh blizzard that been terrorizing Alaska's north-western coast for the past two weeks had finally passed, and the sun was shining again. Now the only sound that could be heard in the wilderness was the sound of a few gentle breezes, birds chirping, and water flowing softly down a stream. Normally, the woods were vibrant with life, and the sound of wolves howling, bears roaring, and eagles shrieking could be heard for miles around. But for some strange reason, it was almost as if every animal in the forest had decided to sleep in that day. However, the local forest area wasn't the only place where everything was quiet.

Between the woods and sandy white beaches, there was a small town called Nome. The little fishing community had been a well-known part of Alaska for years now, and it currently held more than nine hundred human residents. Usually by high noon, the local townspeople were all awake and walking up and down the streets of Nome, going about with their daily routine. But today, most of the humans in Nome were either inside their homes, or inside the local hospital, watching over their sick loved ones. For the past few weeks, an outbreak of the disease, Diphtheria, had plaguing Nome and the nearby Indian reservation. Diphtheria was a vicious disease that attacked the throat, and quickly shut down all internal organs within a matter of a day, resulting with in patients falling into an irreversible coma and dying if not treated soon enough. The epidemic quickly took hold on Nome's children, and eventually things got so bad that the local undertaker ordered for child-sized coffins to be built.

After sending out a team of sled dogs to retrieve some medicine from the town of Nenana, they became hopelessly lost in the blizzard, the people of Nome had no choice but start grieving over their loss. But in the town's darkest hour, one lone wolf-dog hybrid named Balto reluctantly rose to the occasion, and braved the blizzard himself to rescue the team and save the town. Along the way, the wolf-dog had to fight the team's own leader, Steele, who was stubbornly intent on staying in the blizzard and letting his own team to freeze to death just so he wouldn't have to share the glory with a half-wolf. After defeating Steele and returning to Nome, Balto reunited with his beloved, a rust and cream colored husky named Jenna, and proposed to her. And to the hybrid's delight, Jenna eagerly agreed to marry him.

The very next day, Balto found that the children of Nome were rapidly recovering and that Jenna's human owners had agreed to take him in as way of repaying their debt to him. And to add to that pile of good news, Balto also learned that he was going to become a new member of Gunnar Kaassen's famous team of sled dogs, taking Steele's old position as lead dog. However, the malevolent lead dog wasn't about to give up his old status so easily. After learning of Balto's happy new life, Steele challenged the hybrid to a fight to the death, inside the Boiler Room at exactly high noon. Despite Balto's pleas to stay behind, his fiancée Jenna had decided to join him in his long-overdue fight against Steele, not wanting to left behind again.

And that was the reason why Nome was so silent. Every human in Nome was busy taking care of the sick kids, and every dog in Nome (or at least the ones who had been in the Old Mill) were anxiously waiting for the outcome of Balto's final fight against Steele. But as Balto and Jenna prepared to face the malamute inside the Boiler Room, neither one of them knew that the events of what would follow would change both their lives forever. Now the only thing that stood between them and Steele was a thin wooden door that inconveniently blocked their path. Balto raised up his paws, pushed inwards on the door as hard as he could, watching it fall backwards and slam into the hard concrete floor.

"_**Victory of the Daleks**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Hearing the noise, Steele lifted up his head, and sneered at the couple that was now standing in the spot where the Boiler Room's front door used to be. "Hello Bingo, long time, no see", he grinned. The malamute's expression was smug, like a child who had gotten exactly what he wanted for Christmas. Which Balto supposed made sense, since what was gonna happen next combined the two things Steele loved best in the world, fighting and torturing his rival.

However, Balto and Jenna chose to ignore him, and stepped inside the room, wearing neutral expressions on their faces. Even though they had both feared the town bully for so long, they had also learned to stand up for themselves over the past few weeks, and now neither one of them was afraid of confronting the malamute if they had to. And unfortunately, this was one of those times when they had no choice in the matter.

Steele slowly stood up, and glanced curiously at Jenna, finally acknowledging the husky's presence. He had been so focused on Balto's arrival that he had hardly noticed the half-breed's mate had also followed him in. "Ah, and I see you've brought your little girlfriend, or should I say fiancée? Jenna, you still look just as lovely as ever", Steele noted, wagging his eyebrows.

Jenna didn't speak to him, but instead scowled at the malamute, refusing to give him the pleasure of a response.

Steele chuckled at the husky's silence, before turning his head and frowning at Balto. "Some wolf you are, letting your girl fight your battles for you. I've met a bunch of lobos in my lifetime, but never such a spineless coward like you", Steele taunted. In all the years he had known Balto, the sled dog had never expected that the wolf-dog would allow Jenna to get involved with their feud. He had always seemed so hell-bent on protecting the husky from him.

But before Balto could defend his actions, Jenna beat him to it. "I'm here on my own decision Steele", she replied, growing tired of the malamute's stalling. The longer Steele taunted her, playing mind games with her and boyfriend like he always did, the more she was starting to lose her confidence and let her nervousness show. If Steele was gonna try to hurt them or kill them, she wished he would just get on with it already.

Amused, Steele snorted at Jenna's words. "Whatever, I don't mind getting a little girl blood on my paws", the malamute said, even though he knew he was lying. Deep down, Steele had feelings for the husky, and he knew he could never bring himself to kill her, even if he had to. Her being here through a major wrench in his plans. So the canine bully was glad when Balto changed the subject.

"You don't have to do this Steele, you can't win this fight", Balto said, hoping he could somehow reason with the dog.

Steele scoffed in reply, even more amused this time. "Please, you may have gotten the best me during that blizzard, but here in Nome it's a fair fight. The fight that was always meant to be - the final battle between dog and wolf", he said, grinning anticipantly.

Balto glared at him, disgusted, while Jenna's mouth hung open in disbelief. "You're completely insane", she whispered.

"Maybe, maybe not. But either way, I'm gonna be the only one to walk out of this room alive", he replied, before turning around to glare at Balto.

"Steele, please don't do this", Balto pleaded, still hoping, still praying, there was some way he could change Steele's mind, even though he knew there wasn't.

Steele's eyebrows raised, obviously surprised, before confusion was replaced by a look of smugness and satisfaction. "Ah, don't tell me that the big bad wolf-dog is begging for his life now?", he taunted, grinning.

"Not my life Steele, yours. Like I said before, you can't win this, and I'm not gonna kill you. You can't make me kill you. But I can't guarantee you that Doc and the other dogs will feel the same way", Balto reminded him.

"You don't think I know that?", Steele replied smugly.

"What?", Jenna asked, really confused now. Steele wasn't making any sense at all. And in all time she had known the dog, he had never been one to talk in riddles, he was far too impatient for that. So what had changed? Besides him going insane of course.

"I've seen dogs like you before, you like to put on your imaginary white hats and pretend you're saints or something. But you never have the guts to finish what you started, like you should had done during the serum run. You always rely on other dogs like Doc to do your fighting for you. And that's why I'll always win. Because unlike you, I don't mind getting a little blood on my paws", Steele explained, walking closer and closer to Balto and Jenna, speeding their heartbeats more and more every second.

"Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Not I", Steele whispered, quoting a line from "_The Three Little Pigs_", the fairy tale that human children seemed to love oh so much.

But before Balto or Jenna could respond, the moment they had both been dreading finally happened. Steele abruptly lunged forward and bared his fangs, aiming right at Balto's throat.

"_**Doctor Who XI**_" by Murray Gold begins.


	2. Chapter 2: The Hero Turned Martyr

_**Chapter 2: The Hero Turned Martyr (Obsession).**_

_**Nome, Alaska, 12:05 P.M. Tuesday, February 3, 1925:**_

As death loomed closer and closer for Balto, everything was silent once again. For one crucial second, all of time itself was frozen - or at least it was for Balto. The wolf-dog hybrid could see perfectly well that his archenemy, Steele, was flying through the air, aiming right for his neck, but still made no effort to move out of harm's way. Shock had caused the hybrid's muscles to lock up in fear, and for one moment, Balto thought he was just going to stand in place and let Steele kill him. As his rival continued to come closer and closer with each nano-second, Balto could see the wild look in the malamute's eyes, and the sinister grin on his face that just kept getting wider and wider.

But just as Steele was about to go in for the kill, something shocked Balto out of his daze - the sound of his fiancée screaming at the top of her lungs. "BALTO! MOVE!", she screamed, terrified.

Acting purely on his instincts, Balto quickly leapt into the air, high above Steele's head. With the hybrid now out of the way, Steele stayed in the air for another 50th of a second, before he collided with a nearby brick wall. Normally, the collision alone would have been enough to knock any dog unconscious, but Steele's mind was now so warped and twisted by insanity, the malamute was barely feeling any pain that day.

Steele growled, and turned around to face his opponent, furious that had missed the half-wolf by mere inches. The malamute sprang forward again, but this time, Balto was ready for him. The wolf-dog quickly retracted his claws, and slashed the malamute's across the face, before dodging out of the way. Steele yelped, and angrily lashed out at Balto, throwing caution to the wind and giving into his blind rage. This time, Steele was quicker than the hybrid, and managed to scratch his face only a few inches above his eyes.

Balto screamed out in pain, and fell over onto his back, allowing Steele to run up and tower over him. The sadistic sled dog grinned, as he saw his rival in a familiar, pathetically defensive stance. It was the same position that Balto always took whenever Steele managed to catch him by surprise. The wayward malamute had almost forgotten how fun terrorizing the hybrid was.

Steele lunged at him again, but Balto summoned enough energy to move out of the way. Steele swung around a second time, but missed again, though this time only by a few inches. Once he realized that Balto wouldn't allow him anywhere near his head or neck area, Steele decided to psychotic fury wouldn't cut it and that he would have to change tactics. It was time for him to do what he did best, set up a surprise attack. Steele pounced a third time, but to Balto's surprise, Steele aimed for lower part of his body. Pain surged all across his bones, as Steele unexpectedly bit down on his leg.

Balto tried to defend himself the best he could, but with Steele attacking him every other second, the hybrid didn't even have time to get to his feet. Balto raised up one of his hind legs, and kicked Steele across the face as hard as he could. His large paw collided with Steele's mouth, rattling a few of the malamute's teeth, but it still wasn't enough to get him to release him. Balto screamed in agony, as Steele bit down on his leg harder and harder with each second. The wolf-dog knew it was only a matter of time until Steele broke his leg, and then any chances he had of defending himself would die - along with him.

This was exactly what he was afraid would happen. Balto was a pretty good fighter, but still nowhere near as good as Steele, and nowhere near as experienced (the hybrid had made it a habit avoid trouble, not start it). He had never stood a chance of beating him from the minute he and Jenna went into the Boiler Room.

Just as Balto's bone strength seemed to reach it's limits, Steele screamed out of nowhere, and finally released the hybrid's skinny leg from his mouth. Once he was free from his rival's death grip, Balto leapt to his feet, and realized why Steele had let him go. Jenna had appeared behind the malamute, and viciously bit into his shoulder. During the battle, Balto had almost forgotten Jenna was in the room with them. It seemed the husky always had his back, just like how he always had hers. Ironically, Balto realized that the scene that unfolding before him was exactly the same as their last fight with Steele, over three years ago when they faced Devil's gang.

Just as he did last time, Steele raised up his hind leg and kicked Jenna with it, managing to dislodge the husky from his shoulder.

Having been kicked in the ribs, Jenna fell backwards, and landed on her side on the floor. When she looked up, she saw an angry malamute towering over her, grinning with twisted delight.

Steele bent over, and placed his face directly in her's. "Haven't you learned by now Jenna?! You play with fire, and you get burn-", he gloated, when the black and white dog was suddenly cut off.

Before Steele could have any time to react, Balto suddenly reappeared and tackled him as hard as he could, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

Moving quickly, Jenna got to her feet and rejoined her fiancée's side. "Thanks honey", she said.

"You're welcome", Balto replied, though never taking his eyes off Steele. Balto noticed that when Steele had flew backwards, he had just barely missed hitting into a nearby boiler. Had had he collided with the white-hot furnace, it would have fried his skin to the bone immediately. Not even someone as evil as Steele deserved such a gruesome fate like that. "_We can't keep fighting here. It's too dangerous and there's not enough room to maneuver_", Balto thought, worried. As saw Steele slowly getting to his feet, shaking off the collision already, the wolf-dog knew he was running out of time. "Come on Jen, I've got an idea", he whispered into Jenna's ear.

Enraged, Steele looked around the room, but found Balto and Jenna were now nowhere to be seen. "Where are you, you coward?!", he bellowed, frustrated. Balto and Jenna were really starting to piss him off, but they never held still long enough for him to get them back. Why did wolves always have to play these games with people? Why couldn't they just man up and take their medicine like they were supposed to?! But just as soon as Steele spoke, he got his wish, when he felt something (or rather someone) sneak up behind from the shadows.

"I'm right here", Balto whispered, directly into the malamute's ear.

Steele whirled around, just in time for Balto to raise one of his paws and punch him in the face. As soon as he sprang back to his feet, Steele threw himself at the wolf-dog, once again throwing away any kind of strategy in favor of pure rage. But instead of digging into Balto's neck, Steele's teeth sliced through empty air, before he crashed into the cement floor. Steele looked up, just in time to see Balto and Jenna running out the (now destroyed) door, escaping into Front Street. "NO!", he shouted, before chasing after them.

Contrary to what Steele might have thought, Balto and Jenna's retreat was not because the half-wolf was a coward, but was instead a strategical maneuver. It was too hard to move around safely inside the confined space of the Boiler Room, and Balto thought they would stand a better chance outside, where they wouldn't be roasted alive if they made a wrong step. Now he just had to think of what to do next.

**((()-()))**

On the other side of the street, completely unaware of what was happening to the town hero and his mate, three sled lazed around\in the Old Mill. The three friends were currently in the middle of their usual daily routine, lying on top on some throw pillows the humans threw away, and chewing on some bones.

"So how did team practice go?", Jared asked, glancing at his good buddy Kaltag.

The tan husky grinned, and immediately started babbling out an answer, struggling to find the right words to describe what had taken place an hour earlier. "It was the most amazing, the most incredible, the most spectacular, the smoothest practice we had in years", Kaltag replied, after settling on the right superlatives. "You should have seen Balto out there Jared, the guy was cruising", he added.

"Yeah, there was some rough parts here and there, and I could have lived without having to jump over a brook, but he actually let us keep us with him", Nikki interjected.

"Haha, I knew the team shake-up would be smooth sailing from here", Jared said, high fiving the two dogs. However, Kaltag didn't seem to share his enthusiasm, not quite anyway.

"Maybe", the husky mumbled, his voice lowered.

"You don't see too excited. You survived the blizzard and you've got a new lead dog, so what's wrong now?", Jared inquired.

"It's just, I don't think things these will go this smoothly this easily. Steele's still out there, remember? And if I know Steele, and I do, he's probably not too keen on Gunnar replacing him with a wolf-dog. When it comes to his obsessions, that glory hound doesn't give up. So he'll be back to cause trouble for this team, it's just a matter of when and how", Kaltag explained.

"That's why Star's not here with us, he was too scared. The little guy is convinced someone is following him, and that there's noises in his house at night", Nikki said.

"I know Steele's got some serious screws loose guys, but he's a wanted dog now, remember? If he tries anything, he'll have to fight off a whole town, not to mention Doc and me. Besides, there's a wedding coming up, and we should be preparing for their big day instead of worrying about Steele", Jared reminded them.

Though Kaltag still didn't seem convinced, the big dog nodded his head slowly, and closed his eyes shut to get some rest. "Yeah, you're right. Balto's gonna be a married dog soon, he'll need all the help he can get from his new teammates", the husky mumbled, as he felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier. His limbs started to feel more and more distant, and his mind seemed to just float around in his head. In no time at all, Kaltag would be out cold, getting the afternoon nap he always took after a practice run, when…

The doors to the Old Mill flew open, and two dogs stumbled inside. Both around the same size and shape, and both with the same terrified expression on their faces. Just as Kaltag opened his eyes and glanced towards the direction the draft was coming from, Dixie and Star were in his face before he knew it. "HE'S HERE!", the male dog screamed.

"Whoa, whoa Star, calm down, back up, and start making sense. Now who's here?", Nikki asked, confused. However, Kaltag only kept quiet, as the gears in his sleepy brain started turning. Despite what Nikki thought, Kaltag knew there was only one dog Dixie and Sylvie could be talking about. One dog who was so evil, so ruthless, and so obsessed that they would tear into the Old Mill and start a riot over. Kaltag already knew what Star was gonna say before the words escaped the little dog's lips.

"Steele's here", he whimpered.

**((()-()))**

"_**Corridors and Fire Escapes**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Balto glanced behind him, to see Steele was still hot on their tails. What's worse, he was actually gaining a few inches on them with every second. Steele leered at the hybrid, pushing himself forward harder and harder. Steele knew that if he managed to catch Balto, he would finally be able to exact his revenge. He would rip the wolf-dog open with his claws, and slash his neck, before drinking the hybrid's warm blood as it flowed out of his lifeless body.

Worried, Jenna glanced at her fiancée for leadership. "Balto, what do we now? We can't keep running forever", she asked in desperation. The husky could already feel some of her leg muscles growing tired from all the running she had done that day, but she didn't dare stop to give them a rest.

Balto thought about Jenna's words for a few seconds, before thinking of all his past encounters with Steele, desperately searching for the malamute's weakness. He knew that everyone had some kind of fault or weakness, something that made him or her vulnerable in a fight. Everyone knew Balto's weakness was - Jenna. And Balto hoped that if he could figure out Steele's, he could gain the upper hand in the chase.

His last encounter with Steele was during the serum run, he thought back to that night, examining their last fight with as much detail as he could without stopping. One thing that stood out was how the malamute had snapped at him after Balto refused to stay away from the life-saving medicine. When Balto continued to defy him, Steele just kept snapping at him and viciously throwing the hybrid around, until he made one last, fatal error. Steele had been so preoccupied with trying to finish off his opponent that he had ignored all the danger surrounding him. Before he knew it, he had plunged off the side of a cliff, just barely surviving the twenty feet fall.

"_Steele always was a hothead, the guy couldn't control his temper to save his life. Literally. But then again, I've had my fair share of meltdowns as well_", Balto thought grimly.

The wolf-dog knew all too well what extreme anger felt like. How it consumed every other thought and feeling in the brain in a matter of seconds, until all logic and common sense no longer existed, replaced only by uncontrollable bloodlust and aggression. A couple of days ago, Balto was controlled by it that he had almost attacked his own fiancée in a blind rage. He had no longer cared about the danger to himself or the chance that someone could get hurt in all the crossfire. For a few, horrible moments, Balto had felt just like Steele.

Sudden a light bulb went off inside the wolf-dog's head. "_That's it. When you're angry, you ignore all the danger to both yourself and everyone else. And that's how we'll stop him_", he thought euphorically. He glanced back at the malamute behind him, and to Jenna's shock, he actually started taunting his rival. "Hey Steele, you couldn't lead a team even if your life depended on it, and it did!", he shouted.

As he realized what Balto was saying to him, Steele eyes' grew impossibly wide. The sled dog was taken aback by the wolf-dog's impotence, before snarling and pushing himself further even harder.

Balto knew his plan was working - he only needed to churn out a few more insults before Steele would snap completely.

However, Jenna, not knowing about her fiancé's plan, just stared at him with a look of pure horror. "What are you doing?!", she asked urgently.

"Trust me on this one Jen", Balto replied, confidently.

Jenna stared at Balto, deeply concerned, before reluctantly nodding her head. The wolf-dog had never let her down before, and if he said he had a plan, she would trust him with her life. And right now, their lives _were_ what was on the line.

Balto nodded back, before glancing at Steele again. The malamute continued to get closer and closer to them, before he ran into some trouble. A couple dogs on the street had been watching the chase from a distance (as they often did when a dog fight occurred in Nome), but they now found themselves becoming a part of the melee as Steele roughly shoved them out of his way. Steele was already beginning to lose it, Balto knew he only had to push a little bit harder.

"Hey Steele! You're so slow, a simple half-wolf like me can run faster than you! No wonder your owner disowned you, he doesn't want a lead-footed disgrace of a dog like you as his family's protector!", Balto added. While he was shouting at him, the hybrid's mind was focused completely on survival. But there was a tiny part of him that realized how ironic this situation was. Usually Steele was the one who goaded him on with insults and made him lose his temper, luring him right into a trap. But now it seemed the dogs had switched places. And while Balto knew he was only doing this to save himself and Jenna, he still felt guilty about having to stoop to Steele's level to do it.

Steele snarled, and howled with fury, running so fast that his legs felt like they were going to fall off. But the malamute ignored all the pain that was surging through his body, all he cared about now was getting to Balto. Even though he knew it was completely impossible, Steele knew that the only way he'd ever catch Balto was to run faster than him - he had to beat that arrogant wolf-dog in a race, just once. Just this one, crucial time. Warm saliva dripped down from Steele's mouth, like how froth and foam would secrete from a rabid dog's lips just before he attacked. The malamute's eyes narrowed, and his vision blurred. Jenna's red and white body quickly disappeared out of sight, as he focused all of his attention on her half-wolf fiancée.

Balto saw the wild look in Steele's icy blue eyes, and knew he only had to deliver one last straw to break the camel's back. Balto looked all around him, and found what he had been seeking, an empty trash can. To Jenna's horror, she watched as Balto stopped running, and turned to face Steele.

Steele stopped running too, if only to see what Balto was gonna do next. Had the hybrid finally stopped running like a coward and chose to fight him head-on? Apparently not, because instead of charging at him, the half-wolf only glared at him, before speaking in a cold, condescending tone.

"But you wanna know what's the worse thing about you Steele? The people in this town loved you. The women wanted you, the men wanted to be you, heck, some of the men probably wanted you too. And the children all wished you were their dog. Everyone here counted on you, and depended on you to save all their lives. And when the time came to step up to the plate and be the leader that Nome needed you to be, you were too selfish to care about anybody but yourself", Balto said angrily, scowling at the malamute standing in front of him. This time, Balto wasn't make up insults. This tirade of his was entirely from the wolf-dog's honest opinion of his rival, and the heinous act of betrayal he had committed. He had always pitied Steele for letting hatred consume him the way he did, but now…now Balto could barely even force himself to look at the dog.

The hairs on the back of Steele's bristled, and the malamute's teeth gleamed, he was now only a few seconds away from going nuclear.

"You turned on everyone who loved you, just to spite me, and you almost killed dozens of innocent people over a petty grudge. You're no leader Steele, and you're certainly not a hero. You're just a fraud. A pathetic, self-absorbed fraud who never deserved that champion collar around his neck", Balto said, dragging out the words long and slow, as he waited for the inevitable reaction.

By now, a large crowd of dogs had gathered on the sidewalk to watch the public fight with their own eyes, and they all tensed up as they watched Balto poke the bear with the stick, over and over again like he had some kind of death wish. The town hero had apparently lost his mind.

"Steele, the greatest sled dog in all of Alaska, is nothing but a liar. And now everyone knows it. That's what history will remember you as Steele. Not Nome's greatest hero, but Nome's biggest failure", the wolf-dog finished.

That did it.

Steele couldn't control himself anymore, as the dog he had hated so much for so long slandered his name in front of the public who had once been so fateful to him. It was all Balto's fault they had turned against him, and now he was trying to do it again. But he wouldn't let him. Steele's next move was something that everyone had all knew was coming, especially Balto, but still everyone on the street couldn't help but flinch as they saw how crazily Steele leapt at the hybrid. As he soared through the air, making direct eye contact with his half-breed rival, Steele's constant cold blue eyes were now emptier than Balto had ever seen them. Like Steele wasn't even there anymore, replaced by a savage beast with violence his only purpose in life. But even the sight of his oldest enemy losing whatever was left of his mind wasn't enough to scare Balto that day.

The hybrid grinned triumphantly, and quickly jumped to side, practically turning into a blur as he ran. Balto scooped up a nearby trash can lid in his mouth, and flung it forward as hard as he could. His newly enhanced eyes presented a whole new range of depth perception, allowing him to throw the lid with amazing aim and accuracy.

The tin circle collided with Steele's chest, knocking the wind out of the malamute and sending him flying through the air. Steele once again landed on his back in the snow, and before he could get up, Balto punched him in the face. The wolf-dog kept hitting Steele every split second, making sure he didn't give the malamute a chance to get his strength back up. He bit down on Steele's shoulder, causing the ex-sled dog to scream out in agony. But unaware to the wolf-dog, the more he fought, the more vicious he became.

After only sixty seconds, Steele was already bleeding heavily, and now had black rings around both his eyes. However, despite Steele being clearly incapacitated, Balto still didn't stop his attack on the dog. The enraged wolf-dog shoved the malamute into a nearby wooden porch, so he would have nowhere left to run from his wrath. Balto's fangs hung out of his mouth, as he saw the crumpled sled dog crushed underneath his massive paws, humbled by his own defeat. A tempting thought entered Balto's head, one that he had toyed with for years now - ending Steele's miserable life. After all, he certainly deserved it. Not just for what he had done to Balto and Jenna, but what he had done to everyone in Nome.

As Balto debated crossing his own moral line for the first time, Steele could see bloodlust and indecision in the half-wolf's eyes. This was what he had been hoping for, what he had been planning when he threatened Star and summoned Balto and Jenna to the Old Mill He knew that Balto would be so caught up in their fight that he'd lose control of his wild instincts and reveal himself for the monster he really was. After all, Steele had nothing left to live for, he had lost everything to that lobo. So he felt he might as well die fighting, knowing that he had finally exposed Balto as being nothing a filthy, untrustworthy wolf.

It would be the ultimate revenge on wolves everywhere.

Balto represented the idea of not all wolves being evil, and the hope for a future where dogs and wolves could live in the same world in peace. But by exposing Balto as a monster, Steele would destroy the chance of that ever happening, and finally make that lying savage race pay making him lose father. The evil malamute raised his head at his rival, and mustered enough strength to speak again. "Do it half-wolf, kill me. Just grow a pair and finally finish what you started for once Bingo", he sneered hoarsely.

Balto stared down at the defeated dog, feeling conflicted. Steele's desire to die was the exact same request Devil had whispered to him the first time Balto had bested him, over two years ago. Except, Balto had barely known the dog, so it was easier to take mercy on him, while his feud with Steele was a thousand times more personal. Devil may have injured him badly and put Jenna in danger, but Steele had made his life a living hell for more than five years. He had defiled the only memories of his mother, turned everyone in Nome against him, endangered the lives of innocent children, and worst of all - Steele was reason why he had to give up being with Jenna all those years ago.

Even though he had convinced himself he wouldn't lose control of his instincts the next time he saw Steele, all Balto wanted at that moment was to get back at the malamute for everything he had done. In a wolf's world, forgiveness was a rare virtue that almost didn't exsist. The only justice there was in a wolf pack was swift vengeance, and as a far as Balto knew, a true wolf never hesitated at the chance to finish off someone who had done him wrong.

Balto opened his mouth wide, to reveal two large fangs hanging between his teeth. Balto barely ever used them since he didn't hunt for food in the wild like most wolves, but nonetheless they were still pretty sharp and glowed bright in the mid-day sun. Saliva dripped from his mouth, but the hybrid ignored it as he leaned closer towards Steele's neck.

Steele smiled grimly as he realized the hybrid was playing right into his scheme. He closed his eyes, and prepared to accept his death with dignity - the only honorable thing left for a washed up hero who's glory had been stolen by a half-wolf. "_I wonder what it feels like… death?_", Steele thought, before pushing the morbid thoughts out of his head. But as much as he tried not to think about it, Balto's constant stalling was making him uneasy. He wished the wolf-dog was just get it over with and kill him already, before he started to lose his confidence. Since dogs couldn't sweat, Steele panted nervously, and cracked his eyes open a little bit, to see Balto was still standing over him, dragging out the moment.

As much as Balto wanted to finish his old tormentor, something was holding him back, and it wasn't just his conscience. Balto could tell someone else had just joined them, and could see something out of the corner of his eyes. He had been so caught up in the fight he had completely forgotten that his husky lover had been with him the whole time.

Jenna was still standing only a few feet away, completely horrified by what her fiancée was about to do. As long as she had known Balto, she had never thought him to be a murderer. Even when he was fighting with Devil, he had never gone this far before. His teeth were literally only a few inches above Steele's neck!

Balto recognized Jenna's terrified expression almost immediately. It was the same look she always wore whenever he went too far, whenever he let himself become a slave to his instincts, whenever he started to become exactly what everyone thought he was - a monster.

Balto glanced back at Steele one last time, and saw something that took him by surprise. Deep beneath the malamute's cold blue eyes, he saw fear - and not just fear, absolute terror. In all his time he had known Steele, he had never seen the malamute so afraid before, especially not of him.

As much as he wanted to be brave in the face of his own demise and hold onto his reputation as being a tough brawler, Steele couldn't stop his traitorous body from shaking in Balto's arms. Not when he had just realized that there was probably no hope for him in the afterlife, not after everything he had done in the past few days.

As he stared sympathetically at his rival, both Balto and Steele knew the truth, that underneath all his taunting, bragging, and machismo, the malamute was a coward through and through. Even now, as he was crushed under Balto's paws, exactly where he thought he had wanted to be, Steele was starting to have second thoughts about his plan, and praying that Balto wouldn't have the guts to go through it. His only hope was that Balto was too spineless to become a murderer, like how he was too much of a coward to be a martyr.

Balto recognized Steele's position immediately, and realized why he had stopped fighting. Curling into a submissive ball was the same way he used to try and defend himself from Steele when he was a puppy. At the time, Balto was only six months old, and had had no way of defending himself from Steele's cruel beatings. The worse days were when he couldn't control his emotions, and tears of pain would flow from his eyes. The other dogs would tear into him mercilessly, and tell him he was weak and a nobody. But now their situation was reversed.

At that moment, everything suddenly became crystal clear, and the full enormity of what Balto was doing hit him. He had taunted Steele, broke him down, beat him up, and now he was on the verge of killing him. A tear slowly appeared underneath Balto's eyes and rolled down his face, as the wolf-dog realized what he was about to become. If he killed Steele now, he would not only turn into a ruthless murderer and a monster, but he would _become Steele_. "_No, I can't, I won't_", he whispered softly.

"_**I See You Silence**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Balto quickly stepped away from Steele and released the malamute from his grip, dropping him on his side in the snow. Balto breathed heavily, trying to calm himself down before he made another mistake he'd regret.

By now, the dog fight had attracted the attention of most of the residents of Nome, both dog and human. A lot of local townspeople had heard all the noise outside their homes, and stepped outside to find two old enemies going at it. For a moment, it had looked like the five-year feud between a half-wolf and former lead-dog was about to come to a head. But now they couldn't believe their eyes, as they watched Balto's spare Steele's life, something that just wasn't done in a dog fight, especially not one like this.

As Steele gathered the strength to get to his feet, he glared at Balto. Even though he was relieved that his plan hadn't worked and that he wasn't about to become a sacrifice for his own cause, he saw Balto's decision to spare his life as a sign of weakness, like he always did. "I knew you didn't have it in you. You're nothing but a gutless chicken of a wolf, through and through", he sneered.

Balto didn't reply, but only stared at the malamute in contempt. After everything that had happened, Balto pitied his old rival. Things had gotten so bad over the years that they had come to this. And the consequence was that Steele, the once proud champion of Nome had been reduced to nothing but a washed-up fraud who was trying to provoke dog fights, just to try and 'win' the feud he himself had started years ago. Steele's obsession was the saddest thing Balto had ever seen, and he wasn't going to be a part of it any longer. It was time to end this, once and for all. And he was gonna do it his way, not Steele's.

The half-wolf ignored Steele's taunting, and slowly turned around on his heels. Without ever once saying anything or looking back at his broken rival, Balto started to walk away, satisfied that he had finally gotten the best of his killer instincts.

"Where are you going?! Get back here!", Steele shouted after him, outraged.

However, Balto only continued ignored him, and just kept walking. He knew Steele was only doing all this for the same reason he had started his reign of terror in the first place, for attention. He had finally figured out that Steele's obsession with fame was so sad and twisted that he was willing to let himself get beaten up, and possibly killed, just so he could be a hero again, known forever as the dog who had exposed Balto as a killer. The only problem was that he wasn't, and he was never going to be.

Jenna was only a few feet away from him now, waiting for the dog she loved to return to her. The husky had never been more relieved in her life when Balto spared Steele, but now she couldn't believe she had ever doubted him. If she had ever had the slightest doubts about Balto's morality, she would never have agreed to married him. Balto was still the man she had fallen in love with as a puppy.

"Listen Lobo, I'm not done with you yet!", Steele bellowed, enraged that his enemy was still ignoring him. None of his other adversaries had ever turned their back on him before, and Steele considered it to be an ever bigger disgrace than losing to a wolf-dog.

Balto sighed, but didn't even turn around, though he already knew what was coming. He had known Steele long enough to know his next reaction was inevitable. The short-tempered blowhard couldn't fight it even if he wanted to.

"Come back here, you coward!", Steele screamed, before charging at his rival's back and leaping into the air.

Of course, Balto had already anticipated this, and bared his teeth, ready for round two of Steele's little game. But to his surprise, Steele's attack had already been intercepted by somebody else.

A ghost of yellow and brown fur jumped in the air, and pounced on top of the malamute, causing him to come crashing into the ground.

Balto and Jenna gasped as they realized a fourth dog had unexpectedly joined in the fight. He had appeared completely out of nowhere, but Balto knew the sled dog well.

Kaltag pinned Steele against the ground, determined to keep his ex-boss from hurting his new friends. "I won't let you kill Balto!", the husky growled.

"It's not up to you! You're nothing but a wheel dog, a simple gun for hire!", Steele shouted, enraged by his ex-lackey's defiance, right before he thrust his head forward and sank his teeth into Kaltag's shoulder.

Kaltag screamed in agony, as Steele's fangs tore through his flesh and skin, stretching all the way down to his bones. Once his razor-sharp teeth were hooked in securely, Steele deliberately raked them up and down, slashing a large portion of skin around Kaltag's shoulder to shreds. As Kaltag fell to the ground, his screams' bloodcurdling, Steele stood over the husky's body, victorious. Kaltag tried to stand up, but the pain in his shoulder was too great for him to do anything but curl into a bloody ball. By now, Kaltag's life fluid had painted the snow around him red, and the people and dogs of Nome could only watch horrifyingly as Steele moved in for the kill.

"This'll teach you to choose a half-wolf over me and leave me for dead, you filthy little traitor", Steele whispered, sneering.

"You betrayed us first, you two-faced, self-centered son of bitch. You betrayed every last kid in Nome because of your arrogance, and I hope you burn in hell!", Kaltag growled angrily, before spitting in the malamute's face.

Steele slowly wiped away Kaltag's saliva, seething. He was tired playing games with the husky. But before he could finish off his betrayer, he was suddenly tackled again by a familiar streak of brown fur. After the shock of seeing Steele attack Kaltag had worn off, Balto had leapt into the air as fast as he could, determined to keep Steele from finishing the job. Balto quickly positioned himself on top of Steele, and made the malamute take the brunt of their fall. Steele groaned as his back bones fractured, but he only had enough time to blink before Balto slammed his head against the hard ground and placed his large paws around his neck. Balto squeezed them against Steele's trachea as hard as he could, determined on either snapping the malamute's windpipe, or choking his rival to death. Steele gasped, and desperately tried to throw the half-wolf off, but he could only flail his paws around helplessly.

"I was going to give you a second chance like I did with Devil, but now I realize that some people just can't be saved. You'll never be able to hurt another innocent soul ever again", Balto snarled.

The wolf-dog raised up his paws, and swung them towards Steele's neck as hard as he could. But just as the tips of Balto's claws scratched the edge of Steele's neck, something stopped him again. Balto looked up to see Doc holding onto his paw, his expression grave. "That's enough Balto, I'll handle Steele from here", Doc ordered firmly.

Balto hesitated, and glared at Steele again, not willing to let go of his murderous rival so easily.

Meanwhile, Jared appeared from the crowd of nearby dogs and joined Doc's side, helping the old St. Bernard pin the rogue sled dog down. "Balto, Doc and I will be fine. You need to help Jenna check on Kaltag, he's hurt pretty badly", Jared reasoned.

Balto looked behind him, and saw that Jenna was leaning over Kaltag's bloody form, tears streaming down her face. The fallen husky was losing blood quickly, and it was only a matter of time until his injuries became fatal.

Balto nodded half-heartedly, and stepped back, allowing Doc and Jared to step over Steele's bruised body.

"Steele, you're under arrest for assault, harassment, sexual harassment, attempted murder, and attempted genocide", Doc announced, just barely keeping his anger at the treasonous malamute under control.

"The hell I am!", Steele replied, scoffing arrogantly. If he wasn't afraid of Balto (most o the time), then he certainly wasn't afraid of Doc. Just like his most loyal follower, Blaze, he considered Doc's old age to be a weakness, just like Balto's kindness.

However, Nikki and Star appeared out nowhere and joined Doc and Jared as well, surrounding their old boss on all sides. They had watched him attack their best friend from distance, and fought their way through the crowd around the same time as Doc. They were followed by a few other dogs, most of whom were friends of Kaltag, who had seen the big guy be ruthlessly struck down by the same man he had once trusted with his life.

Once he realized what Nikki, Star, and Doc were planning on doing, Steele growled at the trio of dogs surrounding him. "You wouldn't dare", he threatened, but that wasn't nowhere near enough to keep his enemies from advancing on him, preventing him from escaping. "You can't do this to me! Do you have any idea how much I've done for this hick town?!", Steele bellowed. When one dog approached him, he roughly shoved him out of the way, and snapped at another, daring everyone else to try and take him alive.

Which is why Steele didn't notice Nikki standing next to him, until the porkish dog's paw struck him across the face. Having already received countless injuries from both Balto and Kaltag, being decked by the robust chow-chow got the job done quickly. Steele flew backwards onto the snow, and Star delivered the final blow, not wanting to take any chances of Steele getting back up again.

"This is for ambushing me and hurting my friends, you jerk", Star growled, before raised his fist and thrusting it towards Steele's face with as much strength as the little dog could muster. What happened next surprised everyone. Not only did Star's fist make contact, but it caused Steele to collapse on the snow instantaneously, knocked out cold.

As soon as he realized what he had done, Star's mouth fell open in disbelief, mirroring the shocked expressions on friends. "I punched Steele. I punched Steele! God, I've always wanted to do that!", he exclaimed excitedly.

Doc and Jared walk over towards Steele cautiously (there was always a chance he was just faking to get them to let their guards down again), but once they saw he really was unconscious, the duo started dragging the malamute away. They already knew where they could safely hold the canine criminal, for the time being anyway. Until they decided what to do with him, and how to handle the damage he had caused.

Satisfied that his rival was under Doc's control, Balto joined Jenna at Kaltag's side. The wounded dog was now surrounded by dozens of canines and humans. One man, presumably a doctor of some sorts, concluded that Kaltag was still alive, but he wouldn't be for much longer if his wound was allowed to keep bleeding this freely and heavily.

Among the crowd of horrified humans, one man fought his way to the front, just as Doc and Jared had. Kaltag's owner - Gunnar Kaasen. "KAL, NO!", the man shouted, quickly bending over to check on his dog. Unlike the other dogs on his team, Kaltag was the only one who actually lived with Gunnar himself, and the man had a special connection with him, just like how Balto and Jenna cared deeply for their girl Rosie.

"Kal, we're gonna get you to the hospital, okay?", Gunnar whispered softly. Kaltag didn't reply (because humans couldn't understand dog talk), but he did groan and whine in reply, which Gunnar understood as a yes. The man gently picked the husky up in his arms, making sure to avoid touching his flesh wound, and started to carry him off, with a large of crowd of both people and dogs behind him.

Among those concerned about Kaltag's wellbeing was Balto, Jenna, Dixie, Sylvie, Nikki, and Star. As he chased after his new musher, followed by his fiancée and all his friends Balto was too deep in thought to notice any of their presence. Kaltag had risked everything to protect him, and the hybrid knew he had to be with him when the husky made it to the hospital. It was the least he could do for the true hero of the hour.

_**Author's Notes:**_

Poor Kaltag, there's always an innocent bystander or a good Samaritan injured in brutal fights like these. Before I started writing Salvation, Part 1 and Part 2 last year, I always wondered how I would end the two stories. I thought about ending Part 2 with Balto fighting Steele, vanquishing his enemy, and marrying Jenna. But for some reason, that story didn't feel quite right to me. Possibly because most of that stuff had already been done, and written by a much better writer than me (check out "_**The First Day**_" by iWolf231). So how I was gonna make Balto's fight with Steele original, when it's already been written plenty of times by plenty of authors? Finally, I decided that Balto's brawl with Steele wouldn't be the ending of the two-parter, but I would use it as an excuse to extend the story to a third part, which is why I ended "_**Salvation, Part 2**_" in a cliffhanger.

Steele's attack on Balto isn't the big climax of the Salvation trilogy, it's more of a catalyst (or 'MacGuffin' or 'brandy ball' depending on what country you live in). It's not what drives the plot, but rather the thing that sets in motion the rest of the story (like Doc Brown taking Marty and Jennifer to the year 2015 to help out their kids. I know I've used BTTF as a reference or analogy at least five or six times now in my ANs, but that trilogy had so many unique ideas in it that it can be compared to a lot of different situations). As you can guess from this story's summary, there will be consequences to Balto's encounter with his rival, and Kaltag getting hurt is just the first of them. Like I mentioned in the introduction, I had been meaning to writing this continuation in January, but sometimes stuff happens.

And as you can also guess by now, Part 3 is the darkest of the Salvation trilogy (even darker than Devil, Wilson, and Cookie's obsession with Balto and Jenna in Part 1), so if any of you hate blood or gore, turn back now (but then again, if any of you guys hated graphic stuff then you wouldn't have been able to sit through the first part, so I'm guessing that won't be a problem). Plus there are sentimental moments tossed in too (for all you guys and girls who liked Balto and Jenna's relationship from the first two parts).


	3. Chapter 3: A Bullet For Balto

_**Chapter 3: A Bullet for Balto.**_

_**Nome's General Hospital, 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, February 3, 1925:**_

Later that day, Gunnar Kaasen sighed, and looked across the small hospital room again. It had been more than forty-five minutes now since he had first brought in his wounded warrior, and doctors were still working on Kaltag. Dr. Welch and Nurse Morgan promised him they would help the dog the best they could, but the hospital was still packed with sick children, making it hard for them concentrate on treating just one injured dog. It didn't help that in his rush to save Kaltag, Gunnar had brought the dog to the hospital instead of the town vet, forcing them to have to wait an additional ten minutes for the veterinarian to come to them.

Gunnar knew that it was only a flesh wound, and that Kaltag would almost certainly recover, but it always killed him to see his beloved sled dogs in pain. Over the years, Gunnar had come to see his dogs as a part of his family, and would do anything for them. But of course, in every family, there's always a troublemaker.

Gunnar mentally cursed the name Steele, and wished that he had never bought the orphaned dog back in Fairbanks. Even though Steele was a good racing dog and won almost every race he was in, he truly was more trouble than he was worth. The worrisome malamute had been the instigator of several dogfights for more than five years now. He kept getting himself and his teammates in trouble every time he ran into a dog he didn't like. And Gunnar had foolishly chosen to turn a blind eye to Steele's treatment of the other dogs, so long as the malamute kept winning him races every year. But the day Steele went too far was when he almost got them killed during the serum run. This was why Gunnar had been so eager to replace Steele with Balto, a real hero and a better sled dog than Steele ever was.

As he thought of Balto, his new lead dog, a twinge of guilt and regret appeared in the man's chest. He should have foreseen Steele's attack on both Balto and Kaltag. The malamute never seemed to like Balto. Gunnar suspected it was either because of Balto's wolf-like appearance, or because the hybrid could run faster than him. But he never imagined that Steele would do something of this magnitude, chase down his replacement and almost kill his own ex-teammate. Gunnar had been one of the people on the street who saw Steele's attack on Kaltag firsthand, and had watched his own dog commit the highest form of treason. Now he understood why Steele hadn't been the one to lead the lost team back into Nome. Gunnar knew now how easily the dog could turn on his teammates and leave them for dead, he no doubt did the same thing during the serum run, leaving it up to Balto to save the town.

As Gunnar continued to let his mind wander, something snapped him back to the present, the sound of a little girl talking to him. "Mr. Kaasen, are Balto and Jenna going to be okay now?", Rosie asked, worried. Less than an hour ago, the girl had watched as Gunnar walked into the hospital, his beloved dog bleeding in his arms, and followed by dozens of dogs. While Kaltag's shoulder was being stitched back together, Balto and Jenna were being treated in a separate room, and the suspense was killing Rosie.

Gunnar smiled half-heartedly, and rubbed the sick girl's head. She no longer had a fever, and seemed to be recovering rapidly, the antitoxin Balto had delivered was still working it's magic. "I'm sure they're fine", he said reassuringly. And he wasn't just patronizing the young one. Balto and Jenna's injuries were far less severe than Kaltag; Balto only a few bite wounds on his leg, while Jenna had a few bruises on back. The main worry Gunnar had was making sure they got Balto's open wounds treated before they got infected, since his leg had already been bleeding openly for half an hour.

"Mr. Kaasen, why would Steele do this?", Rosie asked sadly.

Gunnar's face fell, it seemed the girl already knew it was Steele who had attacked her new pet and put three innocent souls in the hospital. "Well Rosie, sometimes when we get jealous of someone, we take our anger out on them by trying to hurt them", Gunnar explained, choosing his words carefully.

"And you think Steele did this because he was jealous of Balto and the others?", Rosie asked, curious. The girl had always known that Steele didn't like Balto, since she was one of the few people in town who noticed how badly the malamute treated him. But she had been so proud of Balto's heroic deeds in the past week that she had never even thought about how Steele would react to Balto claiming his glory for his own. No one had.

"It's possible. In my experience as a musher, I've seen some pretty crazy things before and I've learned not to underestimate a dog when they're jealous", Gunnar replied. "_Or at least I thought I had_", the middle-aged musher thought sadly, feeling guilty again. His selfishness was the direct cause of this. Because of him, the hero of Nome was in the hospital. If anything happened to Balto or Kaltag because of his ignorance, he would never forgive himself.

"I wish I could be in there with mommy and daddy", Rosie whispered, staring at the nearby locked door.

Gunnar sighed wistfully, and stared at Rosie again. As soon as Tom and Eve learned of Balto's injuries, they had demanded that Dr. Welch let them oversee the treatment of their guardian angel, while Gunnar stayed in the main room to watch Rosie. Rosie had wanted to come with them, but Nurse Morgan insisted that she was still too sick to leave her hospital bed just yet. After all, it had only been two days since they had first started treating her with antitoxin, and she wouldn't even be well enough to go home yet until tomorrow evening. "You know, you should get some rest", Gunnar suggested.

"But why?", Rosie whined, the girl had done nothing but sleep for the past two days and quite frankly, she was sick and tired of it. The whole 'you need bed rest' thing was getting old fast.

"You're not out the woods yet little missy, some extra sleep could do you some good", Gunnar reminded her.

"My name's Rosie, not little missy", Rosie said, annoyed. It seemed that after being cooped up inside all day, the usually cheery little girl was now in a bad mood. Either that, or it was because the two dogs she loved the most, who she owed her life to, were now in the hospital with her, and she wasn't even permitted to see them.

Gunnar rolled his eyes, picked up Rosie's bed sheet, and wrapped it around the girl.

Rosie sighed and rolled over. It was pointless to try and argue with the man. Still, she wished she could be awake when Balto and Kaltag returned. She hadn't seen the hybrid or his friends since they returned from the serum run. She had wanted to thank Balto again for saving her life, but it was starting to seem like the only time she'd ever get to see her own dog was when some horrible disaster happened.

Gunnar watched as Rosie's chest rose and fell, her heart beat getting slower and slower with each second until she was fast asleep. Gunnar knew that sleep was an important factor in beating any kind of illness or disease, but he understood her desire to be with Balto in the hospital. As he waited for Dr. Welch to return, Gunnar pondered silently about what Rosie dreamed about. "_She's probably thinking about Balto and Jenna right now, they are her guardian angels after all_", he thought happily, a small smile starting to appear on the man's face.

Gunnar had always had a soft spot for dogs, sometimes he even saw them as miniature people, just with a bit more hair on their bodies. While most mushers took up the profession of sled dog racing for the fame, fortune, or even thrills, Gunnar was a musher because he loved dogs. He loved the camaraderie of a sled dog team, and how he could always depend on his quadruped allies to help him get out of tight scrape. But most of all, he loved their loyalty. A lot of people found it hard to believe that dogs, the kind gentle creatures they shared their homes with everyday, could be related to such vicious brutes like wolves. But o Gunnar, it was obvious that dogs were the descendants of wolves, because a sled dog team had the same sense of loyalty and devotion as a wolf pack. They would protect their loved ones to the very end. And from the moment Gunnar had learned that Balto braved a blizzard to save him and his team, he knew the compassionate hybrid would make an excellent leader, someone he could depend on when their backs were pressed against the wall.

Gunnar realized now why Steele was never a good leader or even a good sled dog for that matter, because he didn't have that same sense of loyalty as his teammates. The traitorous malamute only ever cared about himself, and paid no heed to what happened to others. The fact that almost let his own musher freeze to death was an excellent example, or how he had framed Balto for stealing from the butcher's shop (something the hybrid had finally been acquitted of the night before).

Gunnar sighed again, and reached down to pat Nikki on the head. For the past few days, the hospital hadn't allowed dogs or cats inside the hospital, in fear of infecting the infant patients, but Gunnar had somehow managed to convince Dr. Welch to allow Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Dixie, and Sylvie inside the hospital with him, so long as they didn't touch any of the other children.

Finally, Gunnar heard the sound he had been waiting for. The doors to one of the other rooms opened, and Dr. Curtis Welch stepped out, followed by Nurse Morgan and another man who Gunnar recognized as the town's vet. All three of them looked completely exhausted. Dr. Welch had several beads of sweat rolling down his forehead (though it was cold outside, it was still warm inside the hospital), and was cradling a leather lease in his right hand. Curtis took a deep breath, and tugged on the leash, signaling for his patients to follow him.

Gunnar watched as Balto and Jenna stepped out of the operating room, followed by Kaltag. The musher breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly got to his feet, still having a few questions he needed to ask them. "How are they Dr. Welch?", Gunnar asked hesitantly.

"Well, Balto and Jenna are in the best shape by far, they only have a couple bite wounds and scratches that should heal in a few days. But Kaltag's shoulder was torn up pretty badly, we had to apply a dozen or so stitches to sew his skin back to together. I suggest that he stay in the hospital for a few days before you take him home again", Curtis replied, glancing at the trio of dogs standing next to him.

"I guess we won't racing anytime soon, huh? At least Kaltag and Rosie can keep each other company for a while", Gunnar said jokingly, before reaching down and rubbing his husky on the head.

"Where's your other dog Steele? I'm sure he could use some medical attention too", Curtis asked, curious. From what Gunnar told him, Balto, Jenna, and Kaltag had been wounded during a four-dog fight, but the musher had only brought in three canines.

"Steele's dead to me. In fact, the world would be a better place if he just died from his injuries", Gunnar replied, the man's tone changing from warm and jovial to cold and lifeless in less than a second.

Gunnar's harsh words took Dr. Welch by surprise, the man had always loved his lead dog up until today, and Curtis couldn't help but wonder what could had happened to change that. "Okay…", Curtis said, slowly. He handed Gunnar the lease, and walked off to examine some of his other, human, patients. The children would be requiring another dose of antitoxin soon.

Gunnar chuckled, glad to see his dogs were in good shape again. The musher got down on his knees, so he could speak to the brown one face-to-face. "Balto, I'm so sorry I let this happen to you and the others. I should have known that Steele would come back, he was always so stubborn", Kaasen said, though he knew the dog probably couldn't understand his apology.

But to Gunnar's surprise, the wolf-dog barked as soon as he was finished, almost as if it was a reply. The man smiled, but then noticed that Balto and Jenna's eyes seemed fixed on something behind him. Gunnar turned around, and realized that Rosie's bed was only a few feet away, where the girl was still sleeping peacefully. He knew that Rosie probably needed her sleep, since she was still in the middle of recovery, but she had also wanted to see Balto really badly. Gunnar knew that if he was in the girl's position, he would have wanted to see Kaltag with all his heart as well. Who was he to keep her away from her savior? At that, the musher decided to follow his heart instead of his head.

Gunnar, being as discreet as he could, walked up to the girl's hospital bed and shook her shoulder lightly, wanting to wake her up as gently as possible. "Rosie, wake up dear", he whispered, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Dr. Welch and Nurse Morgan were gone.

The man's gentle persuasion eventually paid off, and Rosie started to stir. The girl's eyes creaked open, and slowly scanned the room. Her vision was still blurry and hazy, since it hadn't come into focus fully yet. "Mr. Kaasen?", she whispered, confused. After all, Gunnar was the one who had insisted that she get some sleep, and now he had just woken her up a few minutes later. He really needed to make up his mind. And she was about to tell him that, when she noticed something appeared in her peripheral vision that made her heart leap.

Despite his injured leg, Balto managed to leap onto the bed, and lick Rosie on the face. Even though he was nothing more than a brown blur in her disoriented state, Rosie would recognize that soft, affectionate tongue anywhere. "Balto!", she squealed, before hugging the hybrid around the waist.

"I thought you might want a chance to thank your hero, even if it's against hospital policy", Gunnar explained, grinning mischievously. "Just don't make too much noise", he added.

"Thank you so much Mr. Kaasen. Don't worry, this'll stay between the two of us", Rosie said gratefully, as Jenna joined her fiancée on top of her girl's bed.

"Ah, it was no problem kid. And call me Gunnar. Now remember, Dr. Welch and Nurse Morgan aren't due back to check on you for 15 minutes or so", Gunnar cautioned, before winking slyly.

Rosie winked back, and hugged Jenna around the neck. She had almost forgotten how warm Balto and Jenna were. Their thick fur coats were always pleasant to the touch, especially on cold winter days like today. Rosie turned and smiled at Balto, her half-wolf hero. Despite his wolf-like appearance, Rosie had always been one of the few people in Nome (next to her faithful dog Jenna) who could see the wolf-dog's true self, a kind and gentle creature who had only ever wanted to be loved by someone. She couldn't have been happier when her father announced that Balto was hers the other day, it was something she had been dreaming about for years. Giving her hero the home he deserved.

"Mom and dad told me you were moving in with us boy. Looks like we're gonna need to buy more dog food from now on", she joked quietly, rubbing the hybrid's cheek.

Balto barked in reply, and shifted his weight so he was sitting next to Rosie, instead of on top of her. She played with Balto and Jenna for a few more minutes, before she started to feel sleepy again. As much as she wanted to stay up, her eyelids couldn't stay open any longer, and the girl was fast asleep again in under five minutes. As soon as the girl started snore lightly, Balto and Jenna leapt off her bed, and went to go look for their friend.

"Sweet dreams Rosie", Balto whispered.

While they were playing with their owner, Gunnar had walked off with Kaltag, and the duo was now nowhere to be seen. After searching the rooms, they found Gunnar filling out some paperwork, while Kaltag was resting on the floor.

Despite them being operated on in the same room, Balto and Jenna hadn't had a chance to speak to Kaltag in over an hour. The husky seemed to be in good health, but he also seemed distracted thinking about something. At first, Kaltag didn't even notice Balto and Jenna walking up to him, fear and hesitation on their faces. When he did wise on to their presence, the sled dog's eyes lit up, and smiled spread across their face. "Hey guys", he greeted warmly, his mood greatly improved by their company.

"Hey Kaltag", Balto and Jenna replied guiltily.

Kaltag's eyebrows knitted together, as he picked up on their heavy tones. "What's wrong with you?", he asked.

"Oh nothing", Balto said dismissively, though he already knew Kaltag wasn't buying it.

"Where are the others?", Jenna inquired Nikki, Star, Dixie, and Sylvie had all followed them inside, but their friends were nowhere to be seen now.

"We're over here", a familiar voice said. Balto and Jenna turned around to see their friends walk up, the same expressions on all their faces - guilt.

"Once the vet was done with you three, Gunnar suggested that he take a look at Star's shoulder, we had to make sure he was okay", Dixie explained. The husky's voice was usually peppy and excited as she dished out the latest gossip, but today her happiness was weighed down by her concern for her friend. She had known Kaltag for years, ever since she moved to Nome in 1920, and had performed with the husky dozens of times in the Old Mill. It killed her to see her best guy friend like this. Even if he did get on her nerves all the time.

"Geez, what's with everyone today? You're all so gloomy", Kaltag asked.

"Kal, you're in the hospital. Steele almost killed you", Balto said flatly, just as confused as Kaltag was about why the husky couldn't see the obvious, or why he was being so light-hearted about his shoulder being ripped open.

"Ah, it's not that bad, I've been in worse scrapes in my career as a sled dog", Kaltag replied, before waving his paw, as if he was brushing off his friends' concerns. However, the other dogs weren't buying it. They knew that as a sled dog, Kaltag was trained from a pup to put on a brave face, even while he was in pain.

"Kal, how _is_ your shoulder?", Sylvie asked, concerned.

Kaltag grimaced slightly, and glanced at his bandaged shoulder. Beneath the gauze, he could feel the stinging pain coming from his stitched-up wound, a small reminder of the agony he had felt when Steele tore into him with his teeth. "The doc says that Steele's teeth completely tore apart the skin surrounding my shoulder, and even grazed some of the bones", Kaltag replied.

"Kaltag, I'm so sorry, no one else was supposed to get involved", Balto said, somehow sounding even more guilty this time.

"Balto, you don't have to feel guilty, I'm fine", Kaltag proclaimed. At first the husky tried to stand up, but the pain in his shoulder quickly caused him to fall backwards.

"But Kal, I do. You saved my life, and Jenna's", Balto said, before lightly pushing down on his friend as a way of telling him to stay put.

"Balto, you saved _my_ life first, along with the lives of pretty much everyone in this town. If anything, this little experience makes us even", Kaltag reminded him.

Balto stared at the husky, still not satisfied. Of course Kaltag had no way of knowing how he felt. He just didn't understand how much it hurt Balto to watch someone else suffer. Feeling totally helpless while someone else had to put up with what should have been his pain, and his pain alone.

"Something else is bothering you", Kaltag realized, after reading the expression in Balto's eyes.

"Kal, for years I wished you were dead. I hated you and your team so much that I hoped you would all kill each other. And today, that almost happened. How I could be so cruel as to wish that on another dog?", Balto explained lowly.

"Bal, this is not your fault. Steele screwing us over was a long time coming. And besides, your thoughts about us were totally warranted, we weren't exactly the kindest dogs to you during your childhood", Kaltag replied.

"No, you weren't. But you're not evil either, and you didn't deserve for this to happen to you. No one does", Balto said. Balto stared down at Kaltag, looking the husky directly in the eyes. For all his life, he had always thought of Kaltag as a brainless lackey, a cold-hearted bully who only ever cared about himself and fitting in with the cool crowd. But it was only now, as Kaltag laid injured in the hospital, that Balto realized the husky was just a regular dog, one with thoughts and feelings all his own, and even a sense of compassion.

"Kaltag, when you apologized to me the other day, I partially didn't believe you, because I found it impossible for so a heartless dog to change his ways. But you're not heartless, and you're not a monster. I faced Steele to help the kids, but what you did what so much harder. Steele was your boss, and you were willing to defy him to help us. You were willing to risk your life to protect what you believed in, something even I've been having some trouble doing all these years.", Balto explained.

"You make me sound like a hero or something. I guess we've both had trouble standing up for what's right, huh?", Kaltag replied.

"Yeah, we have, but that ends today. You took a bullet for me, and I owe you pal, wolf's honor", Balto said, before leaning over and shaking Kaltag's paw. His girlfriend/fiancée grinned widely as she saw the two old rivals converse like they old friends. In a day full of vendettas and revenge, it was nice to know that some things, and some people, could change for the better. Today Kaltag had proved he was nothing like Steele, and that his loyalty did lie with them and not his old boss. Kaltag really was their friend now.

And for the first time since they both returned to Nome, Kaltag felt like his former victim had really forgiven him. "Well then pal, you can start my explaining what you and Jenna were doing downtown this afternoon", Kaltag replied, before proceeding with his version of the day's events. "One minute I'm the Old Mill, chewing on a bone with Nikki, and the next minute Dixie and Sylvie burst in, shouting about how you're gonna fight Steele", Kaltag said, curiously.

Balto and Jenna cleared their throats, and eyed each other nervously. They had really hoped that Kaltag wouldn't ask them about this subject. The Steele matter was something that neither dog really wanted to talk about at the moment. And none of their friends really wanted to say anything either, Nikki, Dixie, and Sylvie were all just as quiet as Balto and Jenna as Kaltag started to flip out.

"Are you two completely out of your minds?!", the husky exclaimed, throwing his paws into the air for dramatic effect before wincing from the pain in his shoulder.

"I had no choice Kal, Steele said that if I didn't face him, he'd hunt down and kill everyone I love, including Jen", Balto explained, before glancing at his girlfriend again, just to make sure she was still safe. Though in truth, Jenna was the only dog who left the fight with Steele without any kind of serious injuries that afternoon. Balto had made sure she went unharmed during the brawl.

Kaltag eyebrows raised even higher, threatening to rise over his forehead completely. He could understand the wolf-dog wanting to protect the woman he loved, and the desire to confront his old tormentor, but something else still bothered him. Something that didn't make sense. "Here's what I can't figure out. When the fight started, I ran downtown to help you guys, and found Steele begging you to kill him. What the hell was that all about?", Kaltag asked, confused.

Balto hesitated, not knowing whether or not this was subject he really wanted to go into with Kaltag, before answering. "I think he wanted me to turn into a monster just like him. This whole fight thing was a ploy he devised to tempt me. He wanted me to give into my anger, and make myself look like a savage so the people of Nome would turn against me", Balto replied, choosing his words carefully.

"Well by the time I got there, it looked like you came pretty close to giving in", Kaltag noted, obvious worry in his voice.

"Come on Kal, you know me, I'm not a murderer", Balto said dismissively.

"Actually Balto, I just started talking to you yesterday. And I mean this with no offense, but you can be pretty vicious in a fight. You messed that Devil guy and his goons up pretty badly. Are you sure you were in control back there?", Kaltag asked him, worry turning into concern now.

Balto hesitated again. He wanted to say yes, and change the subject as quickly as possible. But he knew if he told Kaltag he had never once considered the possibility of ending Steele's life, or giving into the temptation of finishing off his rival, he'd be lying right through his knife-like teeth. Especially after seeing how he had scared Jenna during the ordeal. "Maybe not entirely", he admitted.

That was when Jenna decided it was time for her to step in. "But he didn't lose control. He was able to let Steele go and hand him over to Doc, and that's what matters. Right?", she asked worriedly, glancing at her soon-to-be husband. Balto was doubting himself again, and she always hated when he did that. Whenever Balto started to doubt himself or his integrity he always ended up making bad decisions. And now wasn't the time for that.

"Yeah", Balto replied, though Jenna couldn't tell if he really meant that or if he just wanted to change the subject. But she knew for certain when he came up with his own counter to Kaltag's question. "Besides Kal, you're living proof that I'm not a psycho", the hybrid said, his light, joking tone finally returning.

"How?", Kaltag asked.

"If I was really a killer, wouldn't I have killed you and the others when I snuck up on you yesterday?", Balto reminded him.

Kaltag grinned, and laughed heartily. "Ah, touché. All right, so you're a nice guy wolf, nice to know I won't have to worry about you slitting my throat at night. But where is Nome's resident psycho? Any idea what happened to him after you handed him over to Doc?", Kaltag asked, once his laughter died down.

"No clue, we were all busy helping you", Balto replied.

"I think I saw Doc and Jared drag him off towards an old warehouse after Star hit him", Sylvie said.

"Yeah, that place that was shut down two summers ago", Dixie added. Everyone knew the show dog was a notorious gossip hound, and it was her business to know everything about everyone in town, so it was no surprise she immediately recognized the building her afghan friend was talking about.

"_**Fragrance**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"Wait, wait ladies, back it up. Did you just say _Star_ hit Steele?", Kaltag asked in disbelief. He hadn't even heard anything else Dixie or Sylvie said after 'Star hit him'.

"Uh-huh, Star really came through, knocked the blowhard out with one punch", Dixie said excitedly, grinning as she relieved the sight of the dog who broke her heart being struck in the face by the most unlikely of heroes.

"Yeah, but I weakened him first. The little guy got the easy part", Nikki reminded her, not wanting to be left out of the story.

"So are you saying _Star_ decked someone? Decked _Steele_?", Kaltag repeated, still refusing to believe anything his friends were saying. "Where the hell was I when this was happening?", Kaltag asked sarcastically.

"Um…", Jenna stuttered, before tilting her head to the side to point at the bandage on his shoulder.

"Oh right, bleeding on the ground", Kaltag mumbled embarrassedly.

"Kal, we do have something else to tell you, something that doesn't involve Steele", Balto announced.

Kaltag's ears sprang up, and tan husky leaned forward, curious. "Alright buddy, shoot", he said.

"As you know, Jenna and I are gonna get married soon. But we have problem. Jenna's dad left her mom when she was young, so she doesn't have anyone to give her away at the wedding", Balto explained.

Kaltag's eyes trailed from Balto to Jenna. Both dogs had the same nervous look on their faces, and he was starting to see where they were going with this.

"We've been thinking of asking someone to take his place, and after what we saw you do for the two us today, we were wondering if you'd take her dad's place?", Balto finished.

"Kaltag, will you give me away at the ceremony?", Jenna asked anxiously.

Kaltag cracked a smile, and took Jenna's paw in his'. "Jen, it would be my pleasure", he replied.

In no time at all, the husky and her boyfriend's tense bodies relaxed, and she threw herself into the big dog's arms. "Thanks Kal", she said happily.

Kaltag winced, as Jenna unwittingly squeezed his injured shoulder, but sat through the mild pain with a brave face, not wanting to ruin the moment for her. "You're welcome. Now go hug your boyfriend, before he gets the wrong idea", he joked, as the red dog released him from their embrace. And for the first time, Kaltag realized that Dixie and Sylvie were squealing.

"Hey, where's the fire you two?", Nikki asked sarcastically, as he watched the two show dogs surround Balto, Jenna, and Kaltag.

"Don't you get it? This is the first wedding Kaltag's ever been too! We're gonna have to prepare him for it!", Dixie said excitedly.

"Prepare me for what? I'm just walking the girl down the aisle", Kaltag asked, annoyed. This wasn't the first time the larger-than-life Dixie had gotten on the more down-to-earth Kaltag's nerves. Show dogs were always trying to make a big deal out of nothing.

"Kal, you have one of the most important jobs at the wedding! It's not like walking down the street. You're the one handing Jenna to Balto so the wedding can proceed. We have to make sure you don't drop her or trip her or something!", Dixie replied incredulously, as if she couldn't believe Kaltag was being so nonchalant about the whole thing.

"Ugh", the tan husky groaned, before raising his paw to his face. There was no way Dixie wasn't gonna be on his case all the time about 'the proper walk to walk' or 'the proper way to stand' for the next couple days. Because of course, a show dog would know all about those kinds of things, wouldn't she?

"Alright, alright Dix, go easy on him. The guy's already in the hospital with a wounded shoulder, he doesn't need a headache to go with it", Balto said teasingly.

Dixie frowned at the bigger dog, but backed off nonetheless. The matter wasn't over of course. As soon as Kaltag got out of the hospital, she would make sure she taught the sled dog everything he needed know about weddings.

When he saw Gunnar signing some more paperwork (presumably a check for the vet) with Star by his side this time (unlike Kaltag, the doc had deemed him uninjured, which meant he could leave with his owner), Balto knew it was time for them to go. He glanced at the window, and the saw the sun was now lowering from it's highest point in the sky, which it had to be some time under 1:00. As much as he wanted to stay in the hospital, joking and laughing with his friends like nothing was wrong, he knew they couldn't stay much longer. They had to find Doc and find out what was gonna happen to Steele. None of them would be able to sleep easily at night until they knew what was to become of their stalker.

"Well Kal, I hope you get well soon. We'll come back to visit you whenever we can, but right now we've gotta find Doc", Balto said, patting on his friend on the shoulder (the one that wasn't slashed).

Kaltag nodded. "I'll see you guys tomorrow", he said, his tone calm and reserved now as he shook the hybrid's hand.

"Can you keep Rosie company? She's not gonna be able to leave here until tomorrow, and she's the kind of kid who gets stir-crazy from being cooped up too long", Jenna requested, as she took her turn shaking Kaltag's paw.

"Sure. Sounds like the kid and I have something in common", Kaltag replied.

"Take care of yourself you big lug", Dixie said affectionately, taking everyone by surprise when the show dog hugged her sled dog friend around the waist.

Kaltag chuckled, and rubbed the little lady on the head. "If I'd didn't know better Dix, I'd almost say you cared about me", he said.

"In your dreams jock", she replied, her voice muffled by Kaltag's fur.

Once Dixie was done with her own public show of affection, everyone else said their respective good-byes, and followed Gunnar towards the door. The musher certainly didn't want to leave his dog in the hospital overnight, but he had no choice. Plus, he had other, more pressing, matters that needed tending to at the moment.

Balto looked back at Kaltag and Rosie, two of his new friends who were now hospitalized, before turning his attention towards Rosie's parents. Tom and Eve were now walking side-by-side with Kaasen, talking to each other about some message they had just gotten from the mayor, summoning them to City Hall.

It seemed Balto and Jenna's talk with Doc was just gonna have to wait. Because if Mayor Daniel Sutherland was calling Thomas and Evelyn Jones to his office, something that he never did with just regular townsfolk, then this could only be about one thing - their new pet. And after what had transpired that afternoon, Balto knew that whatever Daniel had to say to them, it wasn't good.

_**Author's Notes:**_

Oh Kaltag, always having to make jokes, even in the most morbid of moods.


	4. Chapter 4: Vendetta

_**Chapter 4: Vendetta.**_

_**Nome, Alaska. 2:15 P.M. Tuesday, February 3, 1925:**_

Steele groaned. The malamute rubbed the back of his sore head, and the blurry, hazy world around him slowly came into focus. But to his surprise, even after he could see clearly again, he still couldn't _see_ anything. It was too dark, wherever he was.

"Good, you've woken up", Jared noted, from somewhere in the dark.

As soon as he recognized the Newfoundland's voice, the memories of the last hour immediately came back to the Steele, and the malamute snarled, snapping his teeth out wildly in dark in the dim hopes that he would somehow manage to make contact with his adversary.

"You can struggle all you want Steele, you're not getting out of here. Not until it's time for your trial anyway", a calm, reserved voice insisted, sounding almost amused by the sled dog's desperate attempts for freedom.

But instead of calming down, the annoyingly authorative voice of his oldest rival only seemed to enrage Steele more. "Doc, show yourself you coward!", the malamute shouted impatiently.

"Man, you're always looking for a fight, aren't you?", Jared mused, as the Newfoundland and his Saint Bernard stepped forward out of the dark.

At first, Steele thought about charging straight at them and fighting his way out of wherever he was being held, but that would be downright foolish, and stupid. Steele had listened to his temper instead of his brain several times that day, and every time it ended badly. This time, he was gonna play it smart for once. "Where are we? Where the hell did you take me?!", the malamute demanded.

"We're in a warehouse. The humans used to use this place to store supplies, before they closed it down and cleared everything out a few years ago", Doc explained.

"But why am I here?!", Steele asked again, losing his patience already.

"You've committed a serious crime Steele. Lots of serious crimes. What you've done over the past few days has been a lot worse than a few dog fights", Doc scowled, his calm, level tone showing hints of hatred and disappointment for the first time.

"Basically, you've gone from being a jerk to a homicidal maniac", Jared added, raising his eyebrow.

"After what you tried to do to Balto and Jenna, it's obvious you can't be trusted around other dogs any more. Now, I'm just one man, so it's not my right nor is it my authority to pass judgment on you. But in less than a week's time, all the dogs in Nome will gather in this warehouse and discuss your fate. If they find you guilty of your crimes, you'll be banished from Nome, and never permitted to come back", Doc explained, his scowl deepening.

Steele smirked, before laughing at the old dog, as if everything Doc had just told him was some kind of joke. "You have to be out of your mind if you think I'm just gonna stay in here for a week and wait for your little gang to come and 'punish little old me'", Steele said mockingly.

"Whoever said you had a choice in the matter?", Doc asked him coldly.

Now Steele's joking attitude disappeared, and the malamute leered at the older canine. He walked towards Doc, but the Saint Bernard made no effort to move out of Steele's way or even force the younger dog to get back. Doc had seen many things in his lifetime, and had suffered through all kinds of ordeals that no dog should ever have to face. So he wasn't going to let himself be intimidated by an arrogant blowhard like Steele.

"It would take an army to keep me in here, let alone some demented old man and a Canadian doofus", the malamute spat.

While Jared frowned at Steele's insults, Doc paid them no attention. He knew that Steele's greatest weapon wasn't his muscles or his teeth, but his words. They stung worse than any bite wound he could inflict on somebody. But they could only hurt him if he let them. And to Doc, Steele's opinion meant nothing to him since it was coming from a man who had just committed treason of the highest kind.

"I wouldn't say an army, just a town. Me and Jared, and a few other volunteers, will be watching you 24/7 for the next five days, to make sure you don't try and skip out on your trial", the Saint Bernard said, obviously satisfied with the predicament. But somehow, even this news about how hopeless Steele's situation was didn't seem to affect his defiant attitude. Instead, the malamute's sadistic grin returned to his face, and he laughed underneath his breath, like he knew something Doc didn't.

"If you're doing this to try and help Balto, you're too late old man. I've already done what I wanted to do", he chuckled evilly.

"Which is?", Jared asked, his eyebrow raising even higher in confusion.

Steele was all too glad to answer, and he sauntered over to the Newfoundland so he could speak to him face-to-face. "Everyone in town saw what Balto did, how easy it is to get that half-breed to snap. I just showed them that their town hero isn't as perfect as they all think he is. He may have saved a few kids, but that doesn't change the fact he's a danger to everyone and everything around him. And if I'm right, they'll turn on him just as fast as they did me. By the end of the week, Balto will go from being a savior to the thing everyone hates again. His home, his job, his girl…all gone, like none of it ever even happened. And I know what that's like. To have it all and lose it all in the blink of an eye hurts so much that it makes you wish you were dead. And if that lobo's smart, he'll off himself as soon as he's kicked out, and finally rid the world of his miserable existence", the malamute said smugly.

Jared stared at the malamute, horrified. What he had just described was horrible, perhaps one of the most malicious and cruel things that he had ever done. But the worst part was that they had no way of stopping it, since he had already set his sick plan in motion the minute he threatened Star that morning.

When he saw how Steele was staring at him, clearly satisfied, the Newfoundland composed his face and shook his head in the denial. "You're wrong. You're gotta give the humans more credit than that Steele. They wouldn't just turn against Balto over one little dog fight", the Canadian reasoned.

"Really Jared? After what the humans saw today, they're gonna be afraid of the half-wolf they let into their town. And fear does strange things to people. Makes them do things they would never even dream of doing. It can blind them, and it can open their eyes", the malamute replied confidently.

Jared was about to argue some more, when Doc placed his paw on his shoulder, and shook his head at his second-in-command, silently telling him it was pointless to continue. "Whatever may happen these next few days Steele, one thing is for sure, you won't be leaving this warehouse", Doc said, glaring at his smug prisoner.

"You know…you're right Doc, I think I will stay here and 'face justice'. Because if I escaped from this place and skipped town, I'd miss out on the fun", Steele replied, his evil grin growing impossibly wider.

Doc's glared intensified, but the Saint Bernard said nothing more, and escorted his deputy out the front door, closing it behind him. No doubt Doc and Jared had two or more canine guards on the other side, just in case Steele had any ideas about sneaking out at night. But like Steele said, he had no intentions of escaping anymore. Not when he could stay in Nome and watch Balto's life fall apart completely.

His original plan was for Balto to kill him and expose himself as a murderer, but now he was glad the half-wolf had spared his life, so he could still be around to hear about how the humans cast Balto out of their village, just like they did him. Steele's fate may have been sealed, and his old life lost forever, but he would accept any punishment Doc and his cronies head in store for him, knowing that everything Balto had stolen from him he had taken back right before his downfall. "_I told you you would pay Bingo, and you're in for one hell of a downward spiral_", the malamute thought, before laying down on the floor and closing his eyes.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome's General Store. 2:30 P.M. Tuesday, February 3, 1925:**_

Inside Nome's general store, Mr. Connor was busy ringing up his latest customer's bill, when he couldn't help but notice the man's poor health condition. Samuel Edwards had always been a rugged, robust individual, in top-physical shape from years of working hard on the tundra. Now his belly looked rounder, his hair was all frazzled, and he had enormous bags under his eyes. All of these things could only mean one thing.

"Sam, have you been drinking?", Connor asked worriedly.

"What's it to you? A man has the right to drink, doesn't he?", the man sneered, as he reached into his pocket and forked over a few dollars to the cashier.

"It's just…you have two boys to take care of", Connor reminded him.

"How much whiskey I drink ain't got nothing to do with how I raise my children", Sam glared, almost as if he was challenging the much smaller, skinnier man to press the subject further.

Connor quickly got his drift, and decided to leave the matter alone. If Sam really had been drinking recently, he was bound to have a foul temper from the hangover. And if there was one thing someone learned real quick when they were living in Alaska, it's never bother a man when he's hungover, unless you want a fist in the face.

"Alright, alright. I was just wondering if this had anything to do with your old dog starting trouble a few hours ago", Connor mumbled, looking down at the money in his hand to make sure Sam didn't give him too much or too little.

Apparently, the drinking hadn't had anything to do with it. Because when Connor looked up again, Samuel was staring at him like he didn't understand a word he was saying.

"What?", the man asked angrily.

And that was when Connor realized something else. Samuel didn't know what he meant for the same reason he looked the way he did. He had probably spent most of the day at home, sleeping off his bender.

"What kind of trouble?", he demanded.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome's City Hall. 2:45 P.M. Tuesday, February 3, 1925:**_

"I let you people take in a wild animal, and I let _you_ put him in charge of delivering all our precious food and supplies, and then a day later, _this_ happens!", Daniel growled, pointing his cigar at the three village folk who were sitting in his office.

"Sir, with all due respect, I don't know why you're making such a big deal about this", Evelyn asked, confused.

"It's a big deal because the 'town hero', the dog you all seem to love so much, was spotted in the middle of a dog fight with _your_ old dog just two hours ago, in the middle of Front Street! Think of the people that could have been hurt in the crossfire! They could have easily bit someone, especially an innocent child!", Daniel replied, glaring specifically at Gunnar Kaasen, the musher who had been silent ever since he walked into the mayor's office.

Finally, the man had had enough of listening to his elected official rant, and decided to speak up on his dog's behalf. "Mayor, I understand that your worries about this, but surely you know that dogs have fights like these all the time. Whether it's in the day or at night, in privacy or the middle of the town square. So I'm sensing there's another reason you're upset about this", Gunnar said suggestively.

"Don't get smart with me Kaasen, your dogs are the cause of this. I wouldn't be standing here talking to you people right now if your new lead dog hadn't decided to pick a fight with your old one and spread chaos all across town!", Daniel snapped, but this time the politician went too far with his accusation. Gunnar, who had tried to remain cool and calm up until then, suddenly sprang up from his seat and got right in the mayor's face, so close that the two men's noses were practically touching. Daniel flinched, feeling Gunnar's hot breath in face as the man breathed in and out angrily.

"Don't you go accusing Balto of being a troublemaker. If this incident was anyone's fault, it's Steele! He's the one who's always been the instigator in the past. He's the one who everyone saw chasing this couple's dog", Gunnar snarled, pointing at Tom and Eve to emphasis his point before continuing. "And he's the one who put one of my best dogs in put him in the hospital. Balto was only trying to defend himself from his unstable predecessor, point in case, end of discussion! So unless you have something else you want to slander me and Balto with, Mr. Mayor, me and the Joneses are leaving", Gunnar finished, before turning on his heels, and walking out of the room (slamming the door behind him).

Once the man was gone, Daniel allowed his tense body to finally relax, and his scrunched-up shoulders to sag as usual.

Tom and Eve, who had watched anxiously as the musher practically challenged the town's mayor to a fist fight, decided to follow Gunnar's lead and leave. The husband and wife said nothing as they climbed out of their seats. They collected their coats, nodded their heads, and walked out the door Gunnar had just stormed through a few ago, though they made sure they gently closed it behind them.

When they made it to the marble staircase outside, they found Gunnar patting Balto and Jenna on their heads, and talking to the dogs as a way of calming himself down.

"Wow, you really let him have it", Tom whistled, obviously impressed.

"I know I shouldn't have lost it like I did, but when he said that stuff about you two and about Balto…", Gunnar said regretfully, his voice trailing off.

"We know how you feel Gunnar", Eve said sympathetically.

"Balto saved your life, he saved everyone's lives. He's an incredible dog, and he deserves to have a good life like everyone else. And to see someone devote all their time and energy into trying to take that away from him, it just makes you so mad", Tom said angrily.

"Mad enough to see red", Gunnar replied.

"Well, at least it's over now", Eve said gratefully.

"Over?", Gunnar scoffed. "This isn't anywhere near over. Daniel's gonna keep looking for something to use against us, and now that this little disaster has happened, he's gonna keep trying harder than ever", the musher said.

"Well what do we do?", Tom asked, concerned.

"I don't know. For now, it's best you folks head on home. It's already close to 3:00, the sun will be setting in a few more hours", the musher reminded them.

While the three humans were talking to each other, they had no way of knowing that Balto and Jenna had heard everything that was said inside City Hall, and that the canine couple were just as lost as they were when it came to handling their new dilemma. Like Balto said the day before, just when it seemed like things were finally shaping up for them, something like this always had to happen and destroy any kind life they might have had together. Balto had faced dogs before who wanted to come between him and Jenna, but if the mayor really did find something to use against him, how could one wolf-dog possibly fight city-hall?

**((()-()))**

"God Blaze, where are you going?", Grace asked aggravatingly, as she followed her on-again/off-again beau down the street.

"Didn't you hear what happened?! Doc and his goons captured Steele. In a few days, they'll hold a hearing or something as an excuse for them to kick him out of town. And I can't do a goddamn thing to stop it. So if I can't help Steele, me and Derek are gonna do the one thing we can do", Blaze replied, though he really didn't seem that interested in anything Grace had to say to him that day.

"Look Blaze, you're not thinking straight. If you and your pals go off and start trouble, who's to say what happened to Steele won't happen to you?", Grace reasoned.

Blaze stopped walking, and glared at the female husky. "Well maybe that's not such a bad thing. Have you ever considered that? I'd rather be kicked out of this town than watch it go downhill at the hands of that half-wolf bastard Balto", he growled.

At first, Grace seemed surprised by her boyfriend's outburst, before she answered with a growl of her. "I thought I'd be a good enough reason for you to stay. Especially since you practically begged for me to take you back. But if you and Derek and the others wanna go start something with Balto, be my guest!", she snapped, before walking off in the opposite direction.

As soon as he saw her leave, Blaze's temper subsided, and the young man immediately regretted his words. "Grace wait, I-", he started, but the scorned lady was already gone. And something in the pit of Blaze's stomach told him she wasn't gonna come back again this time. So of course, he did the most obvious thing to do - find someone else to blame as the source of his troubles. "_Wolf-dog!_", he thought, enraged.

**((()-()))**

_**The Old Mill. 7:00 P.M. Tuesday, February 3, 1925:**_

"_**Simple Man**_" by Lynard Skynard begins.

Later that night, Balto and Jenna finally got to their meeting with Doc. As usual, they had met up in the Old Mill to discuss what they were all going to do for the next five days. And since Nikki, Star, Dixie, and Sylvie were all listening just as anxiously as Balto and Jenna were, no one was really paying that much attention to the country song Jared and his band were playing in the background.

"_**Mama told me when I was young, come sit beside me, my only son. And listen closely to what I say, and if you do this it'll help you some sunny day**_", the Newfoundland sang.

"So this trial, when is it gonna happen?", Jenna asked curiously.

"The nearest Sunday, February 8", the Saint Bernard said hesitantly, dreading their reply. Judgment day for Steele was both a good thing and a bad thing, mostly because of what would have to be put off in order for the malamute to be tried as soon as possible.

"February 8? But that's the day of our wedding", Balto reminded him.

"Now wait just a second here Doc", Dixie started scoldingly, but luckily the Saint Bernard didn't give her enough time to finish.

"_**Oh, take your time, don't live too fast. Troubles will come and they will pass. Go find a woman you'll find love, and don't forget son there is someone up above**_", Jared continued behind them.

"I know you two wanted to get married as soon as possible, but do you really want to push off Steele's trial for another week to do it?", Doc reasoned.

"He has a point dere Balto, you don't want Steele to show up as a wedding crasher, do you?", Nikki asked rhetorically. Subliminally, the chow-chow was aware that the Old Mill was now filled with sad country music, and he had to admit, it was a pretty good song, but he didn't really feel like dancing right now.

"_**And be a simple kind of man. Be something you love and understand. Baby be a simple kind of man. Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can? Forget your lust for the rich man's gold, all that you need is in your soul. And you can do this, oh baby, if you try. All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied**_", Jared crooned.

Both Balto and Jenna sighed. Another wrench thrown in their wedding plans. Still, at least this time it was for the greater good. "Well, when can we reschedule?", the half-wolf inquired.

"That's up to you two. I'm available any day of the week after that", Doc replied.

"Alright then, the Sunday after?", Balto suggested.

"No, no, it's gotta be Saturday", Dixie said all of a sudden.

"_**And be a simple kind of man. Be something you love and understand. Baby be a simple kind of man. Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can? Oh yes, I will**_", Jared continued, singing his heart out now. The ethereal, almost eerie, country-soul tune had already pulled more than a few heart-strings, and had plenty of dogs tapping their toes to the slow beat.

"Why Saturday? Aren't weddings usually held on a Sunday?", Jenna asked, confused.

"Yes, but Saturday is Valentines Day. Having a wedding on Valentines Day is so much more romantic", the show dog insisted. "Jared and his guys can perform all these love songs and everything", she added, glancing back at the Newfoundland and his friends who still hadn't finished their song yet.

"_**Boy, don't you worry you'll find yourself. Follow your heart and nothing else. And you can do this, oh baby, if you try. All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied**_", Jared and his guys continued.

As she felt a small tear beginning to form under her eye, Dixie quickly shook her head, and turned back towards her friends. "Okay, well maybe this song isn't the best example of romantic music. But it's still good, and I'm sure when Valentines Day comes along they'll play something happier", Dixie said hopefully.

"Alright, Saturday it is", Jenna decided.

"Look at it this way Jen, having to wait another week will just give your bridesmaids more time to prepare", Sylvie said.

"And it'll give me more time to get Kaltag in shape", Dixie added anticipantly.

"_**And be a simple kind of man. Be something you love and understand. Baby be a simple kind of man. Oh, won't you do this for me son if you can? Baby be a simple, be a simple man. Be something you love and understand. Baby be a simple kind of man**_", Jared finished, before putting down his guitar and started speaking to the crowd. However, the Newfoundland's words were met with half a dozen deaf ears, since Balto and his friends were still busy too talking to Doc to notice any of the music that the Old Mill's signature headliners were performing.

"Are you sure Steele can't escape?", Jenna asked nervously.

"We have dogs guarding him every hour, day and night. If even sneezes while he's inside that warehouse, we'll know about it", Doc said reassuringly. "But it's not Steele you should be worried about", he added, his tone suddenly changing from light and casual to grave.

"What's wrong?", Balto asked, concerned.

"I'm sure you two both know that Steele did all this to turn the town against you, not just the humans but the dogs too. He set all this in motion to play on everyone's fears and get them to turn to violence. And after what I've seen over the past few days, how so many dogs here objected to you joining the team, I'd say there's a real possibility of that happening", Doc said worriedly.

Suddenly Jared decided to join in the conversation, taking everyone by surprise since they hadn't even noticed he had left his band. "We've been listening to some of the things the local dogs have been saying. A lot of them think you attacked Steele so you could get rid of the dog who came before you. That you've been after his position the whole time", the Newfoundland said.

"That's crazy!", Balto exclaimed.

"I know that, and you that, but try telling them that", Jared replied, his usual light-hearted attitude now just as grave and serious as Doc's.

"We've tried to control them the best we can, but Jared and I are only two dogs against dozens. If anything should happen, there's not much we could do to stop it. Which is why I want you and Jenna to stay out trouble. Avoid confrontation as much as you can, and don't draw any unnecessary attention to yourself until this all blows over", Doc ordered.

"So basically you want them to lay low?", Nikki asked.

"If you want to put it that way, yes", Doc replied.

"I think we can do that", Jenna said slowly. "Balto?", she asked.

Balto wasn't so quick to reply. The wolf-dog hesitated a first before answering. "If it keeps Jenna safe, then sure", he said eventually.

**((()-()))**

Even later that evening, Balto and Jenna arrived at the familiar broken fence that surrounded the Jones residence. Once Balto pushed it open, Jenna walked into the front yard, but was surprised to find that her fiancée wasn't right behind her. "Balto?", she asked.

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up soon. I just wanna be alone and think for a while", Balto explained.

Jenna stared longingly at him. She didn't know whether or not she should leave him alone. After all, Doc had told them they were currently in more danger than they had been in years - from almost the whole town. But then again, this was Balto she was worried about. If anyone could take care of himself, it was her boyfriend. Plus, she understood his need to be alone right now. He had been alone for years, so he probably felt the most comfortable that way. And after everything that had happened in the past week, he certainly had a lot to think about. The husky nodded, and squeezed through the Jones' dog door, while Balto turned around, and walked down Front Street.

He glanced back at Rosie's house, and felt a small twinge of regret in the pit of his stomach. For the past two days, he had tried to convince himself that he belonged there, that he and Jenna would live out the rest of their lives there as a married couple. But after what Steele had done them that afternoon, he was once again reminded that there would always people who would do anything to keep that dream from happening.

Balto walked down the snow-covered streets, not really going anywhere, just walking and not caring where he ended up. Ironically, he felt perfectly at ease doing this. Before, he hated the feeling of being alone, despised it with every fiber of his being. But now being alone to think was like a blessing. Every since he became a town dog, he was always so crowded, surrounding by dozens of other dogs almost all the time. And it was really distracting.

After a while, his legs started to get tired, and he began to feel light-headed. Before he knew it, he was lying down in the middle of the road, his stomach resting on top of the snow. While he knew it was crazy to fall asleep here, he didn't want to fall asleep in Rosie's room either. He didn't know if he could ever go back there again, not after he let Jenna down the way he did. How could he look his fiancée his eye when he was causing her and all her friends this much trouble?

Balto's eyelids, which until now he had somehow managed to keep propped up, started to sag down over his eyes, and he knew the blissful sensation of falling asleep was imminent. He relaxed his body, and stretched his muscles one last time (scraping his arms and legs across the snow), before letting nature have her way with him. He knew the quickest way to fall asleep was to just stop thinking, so the next thing he did was clear his mind. And in a just a few minutes, he was out like a light, escaping into a world where he had no worries or troubles. A world where he and Jenna could be together until the day they died, without ever having to worrying about Steele, or Daniel, or Blaze. The world they had both been wishing for since the day they met.

While Balto slept, a large piece of fabric was thrown on top of his unconscious body. Jenna, who of course had known that Balto was gonna fall asleep outside, had been considerate enough to grab a blanket from Rosie's empty bedroom and bring it to him to keep him warm for the rest of the night. "_Sweet dreams my love_", she whispered, licking her beloved on the cheek before walking away, and calling it a night.

_**Author's Notes:**_

Boy, a lot of people have vendettas against Balto, don't they? When Mojotheamoroq (now Mojotheomegawolf) reviewed "_**Salvation, Part 2**_", one of the things he wished could have been in the story was the song "_**Simple Man**_" by Lynard Skynard, so I decided to find a way to fit it into Part 3. The reason it's placed here is because it's such a traditional country song, sad to it's core (even though it's more of a country-rock tune). And it fits in perfectly with the Dixie's joke about how you never want to play country music at a wedding. Plus, the scene in the Old Mill felt kinda sad and depressing, so a rock-pop song wouldn't have exactly fit the mood.

Will Daniel find something he can use against Balto? Will Balto's disappointment in himself make him get cold feet? Will Steele's scheme reach fruition? Will Sam's drinking make him a danger to himself? Why is Blaze such a jerk to his girlfriend? And what are him and his gang up to? To be continued, next week (don't worry, this fic _will_ be updated next week, and I won't just disappear again for another year). If any of you guys like fanfics with a lot of angst in them, you'll like these next few chapters.


	5. Chapter 5: A Blaze of Glory

_**Author's Notes:**_

So I'm looking over the past four chapters and fixing all those missed words, when I realize I've forgotten something - the music. Stupid me. I've outfitted the music choice on chapter 2 ("_**I See You Silence**_") with the usual bold/italic format, and I've added a brand new melody ("_**Fragrance**_") to chapter 3, during the scene where Jenna asks Kaltag to give her away at her wedding. If you check it out, you'll find that it's a small variation on a familiar motif from Part 1. Anyways, on with the story. But I'm gonna warn you now, this chapter is not only one of the darkest of this story, but one of the cruelest things I've ever written.

_**Chapter 5: A Blaze of Glory (Fire Water).**_

_**Nome, Alaska. 7:00 A.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:**_

Balto yawned. As soon as his eyes opened, and he started to become aware of his surroundings again, he knew instinctively it was morning. He had spent the entire night sleeping in the street. Not only that, it seemed someone had come along and threw a blanket on him while he was unconscious, since he didn't remember wrapping himself up in this nice warm cloth before he passed out. All it took was one little sniff for Balto to realize it belonged to Jenna and Rosie. The husky must have come outside to check on him. She was always watching out for him. Just like he always watching out for her. He didn't deserve a mate as kind and caring as she. He _literally_ didn't deserve her.

Balto willed himself to stand up, and shake the blanket off of his back. Now that he was awake, it was time for him to get back home (the word 'home' still sounded strange in his mind, especially since he wasn't referring to the trawler anymore). He had promised Jenna he would be back soon, and she would want to know why he had spent the whole night copping some Zs in the middle of the road, and after all she had had to put up with, she more than deserved those answers. He picked up Jenna's blanket in his mouth, stretched his legs one last time, and started walking away from the mini-crater he had made in the snow.

It was still early in the day (the sun was just barely starting to make an apperance over the horizon), so there weren't very many humans and dogs out on the street that morning. The dogs who were moving up and down Front Street all seemed to have their attention focused solely on him, which was starting to make the wolf-dog feel nervous, even a little subconscious. Of course they had noticed him asleep in the middle of the road all night, which was no doubt why they were scowling and laughing at him as they passed by. He tried to ignore them, and focus on getting back to Jenna's house. But that was proving to be no easy task. Some of their comments really stung, and it didn't help that with his new ears he could now hear everything every single one of them were saying. A few voices in particular especially stood out - Blaze and his buddies.

Balto hadn't seen the dog in years. Not up close anyway. He knew Blaze idolized Steele, and wished he was the fourth unofficial member of Steele's posse (so that included harassing Balto whenever he got the chance too). But Blaze really hadn't given him that much trouble since the Christmas of 1922, not nearly as much as his hero did, so Balto had chose to forget all about him over the course of three years. He seemed to be reappearing more and more lately though, ever since the serum run, mostly at places where Balto and Jenna were. And there was no way that was a coincidence.

Even though he hadn't spoken to him, Balto couldn't help but notice Blaze was in City Hall on the night he was adopted, and the Old Mill when he and Jenna performed with Jared's band. And now he was standing on the other side of the street, laughing at the half-wolf with three other of his buddies. Doc had said there were other people in town determined to cause trouble for him and Jenna besides Steele, and maybe Blaze was one of those people. He certainly seemed intent on provoking him now.

"I always knew he'd snap eventually", Zeke, one of Blake's gang, muttered.

"What a freak", Mark added disgustedly.

"Yeah, I bet Jenna's home was too normal for him, the half-breed had to go sleep like a wolf, it's the only way he'd ever be one", Blaze laughed, though there seemed to be something a bit off about his laugh that day, something extra dark and malicious. Balto couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there was something wrong with Blaze, and he wasn't gonna stick around long enough to find out what it was.

"Oh, he's leaving now", Zeke pointed out.

"Did we hurt his feelings?", Mark asked mockingly.

Balto ignored them, and continued to trudge onwards, not even making eye contact with the dogs as he passed by where they were standing on the sidewalk.

"Not only is he a freak, but he's a coward too. He won't even face us", Derek said, though his attempts to aggravate the half-wolf were met the same response as the others - silence. But that was before Blaze put his word in. Before the arrogant young amateur said something that no man could ever ignore.

"I don't know what Jenna sees in him. And I don't know what Steele ever saw in her. Who would want a lobo-loving bitch like that?", he asked, rolling his eyes.

Balto froze, and jerked his head around to glare at the foursome. They had just stepped across a line that you never cross when it comes to a man and his mate, no matter how peaceful and patient that man may be. They had insulted his wife. He had spent six years being taunted by Steele, and he had taken it all lying down, even when the malamute came between him and Jenna. Walking away from a fight had been his way of life for so long, he had even promised Doc would continue to do so the night before. But now Balto knew he couldn't do that anymore. He couldn't keep on being people's scrape goat, especially now that Jenna was in the line of fire. Even though he knew he was being stupid, and doing exactly what Blaze and his goons wanted him to do, Balto couldn't stop the anger that was spreading out inside his body. Without ever breaking eye contact with the lead dog, Balto walked across the street, and faced Blaze's gang head-on.

"Why are you doing this?", he asked quietly. Though his golden yellow eyes were fixed directly on Blaze's orange orbs, and his muscles were locked up so tight he could hardly hold still, Balto still managed to force out the question as calmly as he could. He had come over to Blaze to confront the dog, not start a fight with him. There was a big difference between the two. And even if he was angry to start something, he wasn't fool enough to challenge someone when they had three other dogs backing them up. He had promised Doc and Jenna he would stay out of trouble, and he intended to keep that promise. He just wanted to talk to Blaze.

"Doing what?", Blaze asked, feigning stupidity.

"Insulting Jenna to get to me, why are you doing this?", Balto asked impatiently.

"Because it's fun", Blaze replied simply, shrugging. And then his tone went from insolent to mocking again. "What are you gonna do about it…fight me?", he taunted.

"No thanks", Balto gritted.

Blaze scoffed, and rolled his eyes. "That's just like you wolves. You always have to face your opponents head-on like the savages you are, but whenever you're outnumbered you just turn tail and run. Are you gonna turn tail Balto?", he asked, stepping closer towards the half-wolf, with his friends not far behind him. Before Balto could reply, Blaze was suddenly shouting at him.

"Do you even know what you've done lobo?! Steele's gone and Kaltag's shoulder is all tore up, which means the team won't be able to compete in any more races for months, all because you couldn't resist being in the spotlight!", the husky shouted.

"Everything that happened to Steele yesterday was his own doing. He's the one who attacked me", Balto replied, not backing down. However, it was the fact he wasn't letting himself be intimidated, that he kept defying the so-called 'superior dog', that really seemed to push Blaze over the edge.

"SHUT UP!", Blaze screamed, blowing a blast of hot, steamy air right into Balto's face.

The wolf-dog coughed, and groaned as a horrible stench flooded his nostrils. He had of course smelled it before. The scent belonged to a substance so foul that most dogs couldn't even stand the smell of it, including Balto. But the assault on his nostrils did succeed in one thing. It disgusted him enough to clear up his head, and allow him to finally acknowledge the open barrel that was sitting not too far away from Blaze and his gang. The barrel that contained the same liquid he was now smelling on Blaze's breath. Fire water.

Balto's eyes widened, and the wolf-dog glanced back at Blaze, horrified. He knew from years of living around humans that fire water was a type of beverage that they drank when they wanted to celebrate something, or when they wanted to forget something, or when they just wanted to get drunk out of their minds. Apparently men and women everywhere thought the weird drink tasted delicious, but the feeling of warmth and bliss they got whenever they drank it always came with a cost. If they drank too much their minds became clouded with a feeling of euphoria, and if that euphoric feeling was interrupted somehow, like say if you inadvertently made that person angry, they would become dangerous unstable, and a slave to their own emotions. Essentially, fire water clouded out all sense of better judgment and common sense, and a person (or dog) was never a greater danger to themselves and others than they were when they were high on fire water. Or as the humans called it, whiskey.

Balto, who had been practically the dog of steel up until now, was suddenly very worried. If Blaze and his gang decided to start something with him he would certainly be in trouble, since four dogs against one wouldn't be anywhere near a fair fight. But four _drunk_ dogs against one sober one would be a thousand times worse. Balto had seen the way humans fought when they were drunk. Sure they were slow and sluggish at first, but when they actually managed to get their hands around someone, they were ruthless, vicious, and merciless. Part of having no better judgment also included not having a conscience, a lot of humans had killed their own kind in cold blood while under the influence of fire water. And it certainly wouldn't help Balto that Blaze already had a grudge against him when he was sober. "_Oh_", the half-wolf thought, panicking.

"_**Time is Moving**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"You've…you've been drinking the humans' whiskey, haven't you?", Balto asked nervously.

"So what if I have?!", Blaze snapped challengingly. The sled dog sauntered forward, with his cronies right behind him, and they rounded on Balto. "You gonna tell on me to Doc like you did Steele? You gonna get me in trouble with the alpha, cause the big bad wolf isn't brave enough to fight his own battles?", he continued.

"Blaze, I don't want to fight you. I don't want to fight anyone", Balto said calmly, as he glanced behind him. The streets were still pretty clear, which left him pretty of room to maneuver if he had to. But he could see they were now starting to draw attention from some of the other humans and dogs from across the street.

"Oh really? You didn't seem to mind fighting yesterday", Blaze countered.

"I told you, I didn't want that. Steele did", Balto replied, even though he knew his case was pointless. Even on a regular day, Blaze didn't want to listen to reason, so he certainly wasn't going to be rational and civil when he and his gang spent the whole night filling their stomachs with alcohol.

"You know what?! I'm sick and tired of your mouth wolf-dog. All you do is talk and talk and talk. Here you come walking up to my face and challenging me, but now you don't even want to back it up. No wonder Steele hated you so much. I might not be able to fix the damage you did half-breed, but I can get rid of you so you won't do to anyone else what you did to Steele", Blaze finished, right before he made his move.

He picked up his paw to swipe at Balto, but the half-wolf moved faster, biting down on his hand while it was still raised in the air. When Blaze started to scream, Balto released his paw and took off down the street, making sure he disappeared too fast for any of Blaze's goons to stop him.

Blaze moaned, and waved his sore bleeding appendage, before snarling. "GET HIM!", he shouted.

Balto soared down Front Street, passing by a few dogs and humans along the way. He didn't know where he was going, and he didn't care. He just needed to keep running long enough to think of a plan. He couldn't go to Rosie's house, cause he sure wasn't gonna lead those psychotic maniacs back to Jenna. But going towards the Old Mill didn't seem like such a hot idea either. He just needed to lead them somewhere where he could get the upper hand. Someplace he knew like the back of his paw. And he knew exactly where to go. The alley behind the butcher's shop.

**((()-()))**

Across town, Doc paced back and forth in front of Steele's makeshift prison. Since he was the town alpha, it was his duty to take the first watch of the morning until Jared took over from him. And he seemed pretty content doing just that, at least until Jared suddenly showed up (two hours too early) and started shaking the old man's shoulders.

"Doc, it's happening again!", the Newfoundland shouted.

Doc's eyes widened, before the old man groaned, and the Saint Bernard's eyebrows scrunched up. "No, you don't mean?", he asked exasperatedly.

"Uh-huh, Blaze and his pals are making trouble downtown. Witnesses say that they saw them talking to Balto right before they attacked them. All four of them at once!", Jared relayed, with a disgusted tone to his voice as he thought about how unfair the dogs' odds were.

"I always knew that boy and his gang would do something stupid. He's the spitting image of Steele himself. Come on, let's go break it up before they really cause some damage", Doc growled.

What they saw when they actually found Blaze and his followers surprised them. Three dogs, Derek, Mark, and Zeke, were already lying on the ground. They weren't bleeding, but they looked like they were out cold.

Meanwhile, Blaze was busy wildly throwing his paws through the air, swiping at Balto the best he could while the wily half-breed managed to dodge his punches every time. Finally, Blaze was forced to stop for a minute to catch his breath, and that was the window of opportunity Balto had been waiting for. Just when Blaze saw what was coming at him, he was struck in the face by one of Balto's massive paws. The sled dog flew backwards, and hit his head on the brick wall. By the time his face hit the snow, he was already just as unconscious as his buddies.

Once they saw it was all over, Doc and Jared forced their way through a small group of dogs surrounding the half-breed (in the five minutes that had passed, a sizeable number of canines had come out of their homes and blocked the opening of the alley so they could get a good luck at the second dogfight of two days), and rushed over to Balto's side.

"Balto, what happened here?!", Doc demanded.

"Yeah man, I thought we told you and Jenna to stay out of trouble", Jared added.

"Sorry Doc, I just wanted to talk to them, not fight them. I didn't know they had got into the humans' fire water", Balto apologized.

"Fire what?", Jared asked, confused.

"Fire water. It's a Native American word, it means whiskey", Doc explained, before glancing at Balto. "Are you sure about what you're saying?", he asked.

"Their breath tells it all Doc. My guess is he and his friends pried open a few barrels last night and helped themselves to some. So go easy on them Doc, they weren't in complete control of their actions", Balto requested.

"No, but they _were_ in control when they decided to drink that mind poison in the first place", Doc replied, glaring at Blaze's unconscious body, before placing one of his large paws on Balto's shoulder. "Balto, go home to Jenna. She must worried about you. We'll handle Blaze and his team from here", the Saint Bernard said.

"Okay Doc", Balto replied, throwing one last glance at Blaze before walking towards the mouth of the alley.

"Oh and Balto?", Doc said suddenly.

"Yeah?", the wolf-dog replied, looking behind him.

"I know this must be hard for you, adjusting to all this change and trying to stay out of trouble when you've been in trouble your whole life. But do try harder not to let things like this get to you. You're gonna have a wife soon, and a family after that. Just imagine how devastated Jenna would be if something happened to you. I'm not sure what she would do with her life if you were gone", Doc reasoned.

"_**A Troubled Man**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Balto tensed. The half-breed didn't say anything, but kept his eyes locked with Doc's for what seemed like forever, before nodding eventually. The wolf-dog turned around, walked into the crowd, and then disappeared, leaving another trail of violence and destruction behind him.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome's General Hospital. 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:**_

Later that day, Tom and Eve finally made good on the promise they had made to their daughter, and stopped by the hospital to take her home. Of course, Balto and Jenna, along with a few others, took it a chance to visit Kaltag, who wouldn't be taken home by his owner until later that day. Unfortunately for Balto, the stir crazy sled dog only seemed to want to talk about one thing.

"So you took down four dogs, all by yourself?", Kaltag asked in disbelief.

"Yeah", Balto replied quietly.

"How?", the husky inquired.

"I don't know, it all happened so fast. One minute Blaze and his gang were all charging at me, the next minute I'm knocking half of them down, and the other half are already lying on the ground. I guess I got lucky. They were completely drunk by the time I found them so I'm sure that affected their fighting skills", Balto replied, making a better effort to raise his voice higher this time.

"Or maybe you're just selling yourself way too short pal. First Devil, then Steele, and now a whole gang of dogs. You've like a lean, mean fighting machine", Kaltag said, slapping Balto on the shoulder and grinning widely. And that was right before he finally realized Balto and Jenna weren't their usual selves, and that, as usual, he had said the wrong thing. This wasn't another run-of-the-mill sled dog he was talking to, but Balto, his pacifistic friend who refused to take another dog's life even to save his own. The paradoxical half-breed who hated fighting.

"Except I don't want to be a fighting machine, I just wanna to be regular guy living his life in peace", Balto replied lowly.

"I know you don't like all this fighting stuff Balto, but you had to admit, Blaze deserved it. So did Steele", Kaltag reminded him.

"Yeah, I guess", Balto replied, his volume and his tone still remaining the same.

Kaltag, knowing that Balto wasn't going say to anymore on the matter, decided to respect the wolf-dog's privacy and change the subject. Still, he was sure he wasn't the only worried about how quiet and depressed Balto seemed lately. Nikki, Dixie, Jenna, and Star all seemed to share the same look of concern as him.

"Speaking of fighting, I never got to talk to you about what happened yesterday Star. Did you really knock out Steele?", Kaltag asked.

"Yep", the husky said proudly, though out of the corner of his eye, he was still looking worriedly at Balto.

"Wow…when did you get guts little guy?", Kaltag asked.

"Around the same time he threatened my friends. Nikki wasn't lying though, he weakened him for me. But I'll be even better once Balto teaches all those self-defense moves, right Balto?", Star asked hopefully.

The hybrid paused before answering his friend, a look of unconcealed regret in his honey yellow eyes. "Um, actually Star, I don't think you need them", he said.

"What? What do you mean?", the little husky asked, confused.

"You don't need my help to be a good fighter, the way you pitched in yesterday proves that", Balto replied, trying his best to smile but doing it unconvincingly.

"Oh", Star mumbled. But before he could question Balto on his change of heart any further, Tom, Eve, and their happily-freed daughter walked past the dogs, signaling it was time for them all to go, all but one anyway.

"Well, I guess I'll see you guys again when Gunnar decides to spring me from this prison", Kaltag said contently. One by one, he shook his friends' hands, and watched as they followed Rosie's parents outside, leaving him alone again in a room full of once-sickly children. "Balto, can I speak to you for a moment?", the husky requested, once he and the half-breed were the only two left.

"Sure Kal, what do you want to talk about?", Balto asked, right before his friend asked him the most unlikely of questions.

"What's it like being a wolf-dog?", Kal asked.

Balto raised his eyebrow. "Why do you ask?", the hybrid asked.

"No reason, I'm just curious. You of all people should know about that", the injured dog replied, grinning a little. When Balto only continued to raise his eyebrows skeptically, Kal decided that he better explain himself further.

"It's something I've always wondered about. Because dogs are supposed to hate wolves, but you…you're one of the nicest guys I've met. It makes me wonder, are wolves really the bad guys we think they are? Is the world as black and white for wolves as it for dogs?", the husky said.

"Well…I don't really know how to answer that question", Balto replied, scratching the back of his neck.

"Just describe what things are like for you, from your point of view", Kaltag said.

"Okay", Balto said slowly, before taking a deep breath. "I don't know what the world is like for you, but for me it's always been…enormous. There are so many sights and smells, people and things. It can be overwhelming. And since the serum run, my sight and smell seems to have skyrocketed. I can hear things that are happening across town, I can see things that most people would be blind to in the dark, and I can smell the faintest whisper of a scent", the hybrid replied, taking his time to choose the words he felt best described what Kaltag was asking.

"Sounds pretty cool", Kaltag said, smirking.

Balto snorted, and this time it was Kaltag's turn to be confused. "Trust me, being a cross between two species comes with a lot more than just heightened senses and super hearing. Being me is just like drinking fire water. It comes with a price. It's like having a gift and a curse, all at the same time", the hybrid said quietly. "Being a wolf in a town full of dogs makes you an outcast. It keeps you from going places and doing things that most children would consider a way of life. Everyone avoids you like you're the plague, and the ones who don't all want to break you, or kill you. It's impossible to find food in town without running into a mob, but you can't hunt in the wild either", Balto continued, watching the grin on his friend's face disappear rapidly as he recounted the strongest memories of his exile.

"That and the fact you can never find love. You spend years thinking you'll never find anyone who'll even give you a chance, and then when you do you can't even have that. Not without destroying her life as well. Every second she spends with you is another second she's a walking target. The town would reject her for associating with a wild animal, and she would lose everything just like her mate. But the worse part….if anyone ever wanted to hurt her lover, they would come at her to spite him, just like Devil, and Steele. That's what being a wolf-dog is like Kaltag, having the walk the world alone, because if you don't you risk spreading your curse to the same person who you ever loved", Balto finished.

"Balto, is all that stuff why you've been so quiet since yesterday? You're worried you might ruin Jenna's life?", Kaltag asked him.

"I've already put her in danger twice Kaltag. I left her once, a long time ago, for her own safety. I came back to her after serum run because I thought we finally had a chance at a normal life. That we could live our lives in peace. But maybe…maybe I was wrong. Maybe nothing's changed at all. Sure, I have a home now, but for how long? Guys like Steele and Sutherland are determined to split us apart. What happened this morning with Blaze proves I have just as many enemies as I do friends", Balto reasoned.

Kaltag stared at him, really worried now. "Balto…please tell me you're not thinking of backing out of the wedding now. Not after all you and Jenna have done to get this far", the husky said concernedly.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do next Kal. I've never wanted to be a lone wolf. Hell, I've never even wanted to be a wolf at all. But I've had to put what's best for others over what's best for me so many times now. And if being alone means Jenna doesn't have to live in misery, then I'll always do what's best for her", Balto said firmly. "Besides, my time here in Nome is numbered anyway. After what happened this morning, I'd say Mayor Sutherland finally has the leverage he needs to cast me out", the wolf-dog said downtroddedly.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome's City Hall. 11:30 A.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:**_

The main desk in City Hall suddenly got a lot more crowded, as Daniel's Sutherland's large shape forced his secretary into her chair. "Betty, contact everyone in town. We're holding another meeting tomorrow night", the man said excitedly.

"Is this about the wolf-dog sir?", she asked.

"Who else? I've just got word that some villagers witnessed a dog fight downtown three hours ago, which means he's finally slipped up! When a dog gets in one fight he's a public disturbance. But when he gets into two dog fights in two days, then he's a public menace, and I've got him right where I want him!", Daniel explained, rubbing his hands together anticipantly.

"I'll contact as many people as I can sir", Betty said, as she got out of her chair, and squeezed past the mayor's large belly,

"_You'll never set another foot in my town again half-wolf_", Daniel thought smugly, as he walked back into his office.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 3:00 P.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:**_

Across town, Sam found himself stumbling down one of Nome's backstreets, something that seemed to be becoming a habit lately. The man was, as usual, drunk out of his mind, and could just barely remember his way home, let alone the proper way to stand. All he was focused on was getting back to his house and getting another glass of whiskey down his gullet. Which is why he only dimly noticed the Newfoundland sitting outside Nome's old abandoned warehouse.

Sure, it seemed strange to him that a dog would be sitting outside a building that had been untouched by humans for years now, but who knew what went on inside a dog's head? Steele was living proof of that. Plus, he really couldn't give a damn what the dogs of Nome did in their spare time. So he just passed right by Jared, without ever realizing that his old dog, the one he blamed for ruining his life and his reputation, was being held prisoner just on the other side of that wall.

By the time Sam managed to get back home (falling down and hitting his head half a dozen times on the way over), the man's attitude had only worsened, and he was now repeating another daily ritual for him, terrifying for pre-adolescent son. "Billy, where's that whiskey?!", he barked.

"I'm coming papa", the younger boy said, shaking nervously as his handed his father the whiskey bottle that he so desperately craved. And for a good reason.

The man's eyes narrowed, and his slit pupils focused in on the tinted bottle's contents. "This bottle is half-empty. Did I ask for a bottle that was half-empty?", he asked quietly.

"Um…", Billy stuttered, backing up now as felt his father losing his temper again.

"I said…did I ask you for a bottle that was half-empty?!", Sam growled, his voice rising now.

"No Pa", Billy said, gulping.

Sam's scowl deepened, and he slowly moved towards the boy, backing him into the living room table. "Then why did you bring me a bottle that was half-empty?", he asked, his voice lowering again, though that still didn't fool little Billy. He knew how bad his dad's temper was, and how often the man went through mood swings, so he knew he was nowhere close to being calm right now, even if he voice was deceptively quiet.

"Well…you didn't really say what kind of bottle you wanted", the boy explained, before flinching as the outburst he had long been expecting finally came.

"I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPLIED!", Sam snapped, before backhanding the boy across the face.

Being considerably smaller and lighter than his middle-aged father, Billy was pushed backwards by the impact, and smacked his head on the wooden table. When he lifted it up again, ignoring the searing pain in the back of his skull, he saw his father was now going back towards the half-empty bottle.

"Stupid fucking kids. I already have a headache, do I have to do everything myself?", he grumbled to himself.

Billy shivered, lifted his hand, and rubbed his cheek as lightly as he could. The boy almost wanted to scream when his face throbbed under his now blood-soaked fingers. His father had hurt him. He had been snapping at him and threatening to shoot him and his brother for the past three days now, but he had never went this far before. His dad had actually punched him in the face (well, slapped him really) for no reason except he brought him too little booze. Like he was just another man in a bar, and not his own son. "Pa…you hit me", the boy whispered, horrified.

"So?", Sam said indifferently, as he took another swig of alcohol from the annoyingly light bottle.

"Pa, you slugged me", Billy repeated, tears of shock and anger starting to flow down his face. When his father turned his head around, and saw how his son was reacting to the punch, his anger instantaneously returned and he charged at the boy, cruelly tackling him into the table again.

"Listen boy, I'm not gonna see any tears coming down your face, you hear me?! Only sissy boys cry when men hit them, and no boy of mine is gonna grow up to be a sissy! You are gonna shut the fuck up, and take your beating like a man, because I'm not about to let this family be disgraced again!", Sam snarled.

"Pa, you're hurting me", Billy sobbed, but the twelve year old's desperate pleas only seemed to enrage his father more.

"I said, stop crying!", he commanded, making his son cringe in his arms.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!", a third voice shouted.

Both Sam and Billy turned their heads to see Sam's older son, a fourteen year old named Ethan, had just joined them in the room. The boy had been away for most of the afternoon, buying supplies for his family while his father was out drunk somewhere again. So imagine his surprise he when came home and found his own daddy manhandling his little brother. "Dad, put him down", Ethan ordered.

Sam raised his eyebrows, but released Billy from his grip, letting the little boy fall onto the floor, and not even flinching when he heard him scream out in pain. Instead, Sam stepped over his younger son's body, and confronted Ethan, growling in the older boy's face. "Oh, so you think you can order me around, huh? You think that just because you're older now, that makes you the man of the house? If you ask me, you and your brother need to be taught a lesson in obedience", Sam said lowly, right before he punched Ethan in the face, and starting viciously laying into the youth.

Billy screamed, and clawed at his father's back, desperately trying to stop his attack. "Dad stop! You're hurting him!", the boy yelled, but his father paid no attention to him, only looking at him long enough to knock him off his back before turning his attention back to Ethan.

Poor Ethan. The boy had only wanted to start his father from his hurting his sibling, but instead he had become the full focus of his wrath. The boy's lips were now bleeding, staining his teeth red and black with blood, and the skin around his eyes were starting to swell up rapidly, even as Sam continued to bombard his face with ruthless slaps and punches. Billy didn't know how much more his teenage brother could take, especially now that Sam had started to hit him in the stomach and other places that were dangerously close to his vital organs.

Finally, little Bill had seen enough. "Dad, you're going to kill him!", he pleaded, as he threw himself in between his Pa and his big bro. When he saw the way his father seethed and glared at him (he barely even looked like the Sam they knew anymore, more like a rabid, bloodthirsty beast of a man), Billy thought Samuel was gonna hit him again. But instead he only started yelling again.

"This is your fault you little bastard! If you hadn't started crying and just kept your mouth shut, your brother wouldn't have interfered, and I wouldn't have had to have beat the shit out of him!", Sam snarled, the smell of whiskey and tobacco flooding Billy's nose as his father breathed down his face.

"My fault?", Billy sobbed, as he looked at the beaten, bloody pulp that he was shielding.

"Don't listen to him Bill. He's crazy. What kind of a man treats his own children like this?!", Ethan scowled, before shouting at Sam again.

"For the last time, SHUT THE HELL UP! I am your father. Since the day you two were born, I fed you, I gave you a home, and I've been providing for you. It's because of me you two even have a life, so you will treat me with respect", Sam bellowed, raising his fist to punch Ethan in the belly again before Billy pressed his hand to his chest to stop him.

"So Bill, for you that means bringing me a full bottle of whiskey when I ask you to. And for you Ethan, that means no talking back to me, or I won't be as merciful next time", Sam ordered. "Now do you understand me?", he asked.

Neither boy answered. Ethan was staring at him with a look of absolute hatred, while Billy seemed to be fighting back the tears in his eyes with as much strength as he could muster.

"I said…DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?", Sam snapped, losing his patience again in a heartbeat.

"Yes sir", Billy stuttered quickly.

"Yes…_sir_", Ethan said, slow and venomously.

Sam grinned, and stepped back, allowing his two boys enough room to breath again for the first time in minutes. "Good. And one last thing, you will not tell anyone about what here today, unless you want a repeat of it. Part of being a man and taking your beating includes keeping your mouth shut and not snitching on someone when they kick your ass, especially not your own father. So if anyone asks you about what happens, you either don't say anything, or tell them you got into a fight in school", Sam added, not even waiting for his sons' compliance before walking off to find another whiskey bottle again. This was his own way of letting Bill and Ethan know his last request was an order and not an option. They would follow it whether they wanted to or not, if they knew what was good for them.

Sam was tired of being the man that everyone in town shunned, the one they all pointed to and whispered to their families about. The night before, dozens had condemned him for his own dog disrupting the peace, for Steele being a disgrace instead of the hero everyone had believe him to be. Because of Steele's actions, he was Nome's own black sheep, but that wasn't going to go on any longer. From here on out, Sam was going to shape up his family, and turn them into the respectable sons that he wanted them to be. No one was gonna take Samuel Edwards as a joke anymore when his boys grew up to be big, strapping men instead of the sissified wimps they were now. Sure, he was gonna use some less than conventional means to do it, but in Sam's sick, twisted mind, the ends more than justified the means.

When he heard someone knocking on the door, and saw a letter sliding in through the mail, he only lowered his whiskey bottle from his mouth long enough to bark an order to his terrified son. "Billy, go see what that's about", he shouted.

Billy nodded, and quickly ran over towards the front door, scooping up the paper envelope in his hand, and tearing it open with his fingernails. Despite being scared out of his mind, he was a little intrigued about what the letter could be about himself. The mail had already been delivered for that day, and the person on the other side of the window had looked like a woman instead of the usual postman.

Sam tapped his fingers against the table, and sighed impatiently as Billy took his time reading the printed letters on the pages. "Well, what is it?!", he finally snapped.

Billy shivered again, but held up the letter for both his father and his older brother to see. "It's a letter from City Hall, inviting us and everyone else to stop by tomorrow night. Mayor Sutherland is holding another town meeting, about that wolf-dog Balto", the boy explained.

_**Author's Notes:**_

I told you it would go dark in this one, even darker than Devil harassing Jenna in Part 1, or Wilson trying to rape her and Balto. Just for the record, I'm not a psycho, and I've never been a victim of child abuse myself, all of this just came out of my own twisted imagination (just like Wilson's masochistic desires). I know Sam's breakdown might seem like it came out of nowhere, but I've actually been building towards the Samuel subplot since Part 2. Sam was a minor character in the second installment (barely even featuring in two chapters), but he did threaten Steele and his kids with a shotgun there, which he takes a whole new level here. Sam's progression from drunken hothead to psychotic maniac is an example of just how quickly child abuse can escalate, as compared to the gradual rate that's often portrayed in movies and TV shows.

As you can guess, the title of this chapter refers not just to Blaze's encounter with fire water, but to Sam's as well. The term 'fire water' is coined from an old Balto fic I read of the same name, that was written in the early 2000s. It involves Balto getting an addiction to human whiskey, losing Jenna, and destroying his life in Nome because of that. It was one of the darkest and most disturbing Balto stories I've read, so it only made perfect sense that I pay homage to that here, since whiskey plays such an important role in this fic. On a sidenote, I have a pretty good idea of what you're all thinking by now, how can Balto be thinking about protecting Jenna when there are kids are being beaten to death by their own father?! Well, keep in mind that nobody knows about that yet. The humans don't know, the dogs don't know, and Balto and Jenna certainly don't know (why would they know anything about the affairs of Steele's old owner?). But don't worry, their paths will cross eventually. Balto isn't called the hero of Nome for nothing. But right now he's gotta get his own act together before he can help anyone else.


	6. Chapter 6: Everything

_**Chapter 6: Everything.**_

_**The Old Mill. 8:00 P.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:**_

"God! You have no idea how good is it to get out of that crowded, cramped hospital room and stretch my legs", Kaltag groaned, as the husky adjusted to all the new leg room he had at his disposal.

"Just don't stretch too much Kal, we don't need you pulling a stitch and having to have the doc sew you up again", Nikki replied, as the chow-chow lazed next to his pal in the Old Mill.

As usual, Nikki, Kaltag, and Star had stopped by the Old Mill to warm up and spend a few hours there before going to bed. A daily routine for the sled dog team. But tonight was different. There was a lot more dogs in the Mill than usual, because there was a lot more things that needed to be said between neighbors lately. Half of them were talking about Steele's upcoming trial, and the other half were talking about the humans' upcoming town meeting - AKA, Balto's judgment day.

Over the past five hours, dozens of letters had been sent out all over town. All of them calling the people of Nome to City Hall tomorrow night, for what would be one of the most town meetings in years (only a few days after the last one). They were to vote about whether or not Balto would be allowed to stay in Nome. Even though the wolf-dog was a legal citizen now, if more than half the town deemed him a risk to public safety, he could be banned from Nome forever. He wouldn't even be permitted to be an outcast living in his trawler anymore, since he wouldn't be allowed within a hundred miles of Nome, Alaska.

Of course, the dogs of Nome had found out about this quickly, and when Balto learned of Mayor Sutherland's announcement, he was crushed, though not that surprised by the news (Kaltag knew it was because the wolf-dog had already been expecting the worse for days now).

The canines of Nome were more divided now than they had been in years, split into two metaphorical groups - dogs who wanted Balto gone, and dogs who still believed Balto was a hero and belonged in Nome with the rest of them. It didn't take much to guess what side the half-wolf's friends were on, and a lot of them were currently arguing with dogs in the Mill at the moment (Dixie was busy telling off a Samoyed by the boiler while Kaltag was stretching his legs). But the hybrid himself was nowhere to be seen, as usual.

"Jen, are you sure he's coming?", Kaltag asked.

"He told me to go on ahead of him, and that he'd catch in up in a half hour or so. He said he needed to do something important. I didn't ask him what it was", Jenna replied, walking up to her friend, and sighing as she sat down besides him and Nikki. "He's been so quiet and secretive lately. He's been sleeping outside, he hasn't been talking to me as much, and it's like I barely even know him anymore", she added sadly, hanging her head down.

"So much changed in one week, including him. He's under so much pressure, and I'm trying so hard to be the good girlfriend and give him the space he needs to think. But sometimes…sometimes I can't help but wonder if…if he's having second thoughts", she whispered, right before two large paws rested on her shoulders.

"Listen to me Jenna, Balto loves you. He loves you with every fiber of his being. And I don't know anything about this love stuff, but I know that everything he's doing, even distancing himself from you, is all because he's thinks it's best for you. He'd do anything for you", the husky said.

Jenna looked up at him, and shook her head. "That's what I'm afraid of", she clarified.

"Don't tell me your half-breed hubby is having second thoughts?", a snide voice questioned. Kaltag and Jenna scowled, and turned around to find Blaze and Derek standing behind them. Both dogs had several bandages wrapped around their bodies, and both bore more than a few battle scars, all of them caused by Jenna's fiancée only a few hours before.

"It's probably because he knows he can't stay anyway. Things are getting too heated for him here, the people and dogs are finally starting to turn against him. So he knows that after years of mooching off the townspeople, it's time for him to find a new town to settle down in, maybe even a pack of his own. I bet he never thought that taking down Steele would cause his own downfall too, did he? Hell, if I had known getting rid of him would be that easy, I'd have done this years ago", Blaze said smugly, circling Jenna and Kaltag and deliberately ignoring the snarls of the latter.

"Blaze, you already got your ass beat once today, do you want it to be 0 for 2?", Kaltag threatened.

"Oh, big words from a guy who didn't even last two minutes against his old leader. Here's a word of advice Kaltag, the next time you plan a mutiny, make sure you have the muscle to back up your plan", Blaze said, whispering into the husky's ear before pulling his head back just in time to avoid Kaltag snapping at him.

"At least I did it to save my friends. You and your pals are a fine bunch to be talking about cowardice. The four of you tried to gang up on one wolf-dog at once, and he took all of you down in a few minutes like you were rag dolls. So I suggest you _back off_ before Balto gets here and finds you harassing Jenna", Kaltag ordered.

"Alright, I'm going. Now that you and your wolf-dog pal have both gotten your just deserts, I don't have any beef with you anymore Kal. But just for the record, I don't think I have the worry about Balto coming here and 'kicking my ass' again. Lobo's not here for a reason you know. He knows there's a whole town waiting to string him up if he shows his face around here again. And if there's one thing I've learned, it's that no wolf, no matter how rabid or crazy he might be, will walk right into a lion's den", Blaze finished, smirking one last time, before turning around and vanishing into the crowd with Derek right behind him.

"He'll be here", Jenna gritted.

**((()-()))**

Steele yawned, and glanced lazily at the brownish-gray figure that had joined him in his make-shift prison. "Why are you here Bingo? Shouldn't you be in town with Jenna, enjoying your _last_ day in Nome?", the malamute griped. But his annoyed and uninterested attitude wasn't fooling anyone. Balto knew Steele well enough that he knew the malamute had to be curious about why he had come to visit _him_, his worst enemy, when he could be with the woman he loved.

Balto hadn't been lying when he told Jenna he'd like to sort something out before the night was over. Something that he just had to know before tomorrow night, which could very well be the end of his all-too-short time in Nome, Alaska. If he really was leaving town forever, than there was one last mystery that he had to solve. One that had been the most perplexing of his entire life. The mystery of Steele. So he stopped by Steele's 'jail', and against Doc's advice, stepped in by himself so he could talk to his rival alone. "I want to know why", the hybrid said.

"Why what? Don't play games with me lobo, I'm not in the mood", Steele muttered, before rolling onto his side, and pretending as if the dog he had loathed for so long wasn't in the room with him.

"Why do you hate wolves so much?", Balto replied, his eyes narrowed and focused entirely on Steele in case the malamute tried to make some kind of fast move. However, the dog had no such intention of attacking him. He was perfectly content in his warehouse cell for the time being, and would prefer for Balto's end to come at the hands of the humans that the half-breed loved so much than his own.

So instead of charging at him, or making some kind of desperate move, Steele just forced himself to sit up, and frowned at the hybrid. "Are you really so stupid that you've forgotten already? I already told you why you don't belong in this town and-", Steele began annoyed, before Balto harshly cut him off.

"Don't give me that Steele, not this time. I'm tired of hearing the same old excuse over and over from you. You've been the telling me the same old lie since we were kids, and I want some answers from you. Real answers", Balto growled, surprising the malamute by losing his temper so quickly. But now it was Steele's turn to get snippy, as Balto had expected.

"Why is it any of your damn business?", he questioned.

"Because I'm the one who you tortured. I'm the one you teased, followed, beat, bullied, and abused for four years. I'm the one who's love life you're so determined to completely destroy. I'm the one you've tried to kill so many times now. And I'm the one who's had to save your pitiful life every one of those times. So after putting so much time and effort into trying to break me, I'd say it's more than my right to know why. That's why it's my 'damn business'!", Balto snapped.

Steele raised his eyebrows, surprised, before smirking. "I like the new gutsy side to you wolf-dog. It's like you actually have a spine now", Steele laughed.

"Tell me! What the hell made you hate me so much for so long? It's gotta be more than just a prejudice. It's so much more personal than that. What have I ever done to you?!", Balto growled lowly, circling his rival impatiently.

"You really care, don't you?", the malamute noted. When he saw the furious look in Balto's eyes, and tense body language the usually calm and docile hybrid gave off, he knew Balto's patience was running out. "Alright half-breed, if you really want to know, I'll tell you", Steele decided.

As angry as Balto was, his dislike for the malamute was overshadowed by his curiosity about learning the answer to something he had pondered about for so long. The wolf-dog sat down in front of his rival, and listened carefully as the black and white dog began his story.

"It's not what you did half-wolf, it's your kind. When I was just four months old, I remember my mother and father had an argument. I don't know what it was all about. She told him to go away, and to never come near her or her kids. I told him not to go, but he said he had to. I kept telling myself that he would be back, and that I would see him again as soon as the team returned. But I never saw any of them again", Steele began. By now, Balto's ticked-off expression had softened, and now the hybrid was back to his usual self. He was starting to see where this story was going, and as hard as it was for him to believe, he was starting to feel sympathy for the dog.

"The musher returned without his team, and said they had all disappeared. They had spotted a pack of wolves in the forest, and apparently that same pack must have killed the whole team while he was sleeping. I lost my father because of those cannibalistic bastards. _That's_ why I hate you wolf-dog. And why I gladly look forward to the day mankind wises up and wipes every last wolf off the face of this planet", the malamute snarled.

"But…Steele, are you trying to say you did all this because you blame me for what happened? I had nothing to do with that. I was just a kid at the time, just like you", the hybrid argued, shocked. Never mind the find that Steele's story didn't quite make sense. It wasn't like wolves to attack a camp of humans and dogs unless they were starving, and even if that particular pack had decided to go all predator, that still wouldn't explain why they decided to leave the man alive, something a wolf never did in a hunt.

"I don't care. Half-breed or not, you're still a wolf, which means you've always been destined to be a murderer. That's why I've tried so hard to get rid of you, to keep you from doing to this town what your 'kin' did to my father. And I would be damned before I let Jenna marry the likes of you", Steele said gruffly.

"And after all this time, I've finally succeeded. Tomorrow, the humans will cast you out of their town like the trash you are, and you'll never see her again. I may have to leave this place too, but at least I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that neither us won her", the malamute said smugly, lying down again.

Balto stared at him, not quite knowing what to say. When he stepped into the room, he thought he'd grill Steele, and finally get some answers out of him, which he did. But he hadn't anticipated he'd be feeling like this when he got them. Instead of hating his rival for his ignorance, he pitied him even more than he ever had before. "Steele, I'm sorry about what happened to your father", he said quietly.

Steele snorted, and knowing that was all the malamute was gonna say more about the matter, Balto turned around and headed towards the door. Before he opened it, he paused, and started speaking again, without turning around. "But Steele…I'm even more sorry about what you've let yourself become", he finished, before opening the door and stepping back into the cold night, never once looking back to see how Steele had taken his apology. He had a pretty good idea.

**((()-()))**

Balto had intended to go straight to the Old Mill, and meet up with Jenna. He really had, but once again he found himself sidetracked. Along the way, he had seen Tom and Gunnar on the other side of the street, talking about something (obviously him, since he was the only thing the two men had in common), and he ducked into alleyway so he could listen in.

"We've talked to everyone in town, some people more than once, and it's still a pretty even split. Our odds aren't looking too good Tom", Gunnar said quietly.

"I know. But we can't give up. Somehow, we have to convince these people that Balto isn't a threat", Thomas said determinedly.

"Tom, I want this just as much as you do. And if I could, I would punch that ungrateful, two-timing Sutherland's teeth right out of his mouth. But we have to be realistic about this. People here don't trust wolves, and they probably never will, even if one does turn out to be kind. You didn't live here your whole life, you and your family have only been villagers for a few years. But if you had seen the horrors that wolves had unleashed on this town in the past, you'd understand why the people here are so reluctant to let Balto close to them", Gunnar said reluctantly.

"That's because they don't know Balto like I do. Over these past few days, I've never seen my family happier. Balto doesn't even seemed like a wolf to us, nor does he seem like a dog either. He's just a friend. A genuine friend. You should have saw how well he got along with all of us the first day we brought him home. He fit right in, like he had belonged there all along. And the way Rosie's eyes light up whenever she sees him, it's the same sparkle I've seen in Jenna's eyes since the serum run. She never leaves Balto's side now. I don't think she can. I don't care if some bigoted jerks decided they don't like him, if they forced Balto to leave, it would destroy my family. And after everything that Balto has done for us, I'd sooner pack and leave this town before I abandon that dog again", Tom growled, clenching his fingers.

"But Thomas, you told me living out here in the wild open tundra was your dream. Seeing the snow, the ice, and the Northern Lights was the whole reason you and Eve moved here in the first place", Gunnar asked, surprised.

"It was, but my family always comes first. And Balto is a part of my family now", Tom said firmly.

Gunnar whistled, and rubbed the top of his head. "I don't envy you Tommy. But I respect what you're doing. You're a real good family man", the musher said, shaking the frontiersman's hand.

"Thanks", Thomas replied, cracking a small hint of a smile.

"Well, all we can do right now is cross our fingers and hope for the best. And if the meeting goes bad tomorrow…well, I'll make sure to stop by and visit you in South Dakota someday", Gunnar promised. "Say, where is your old ranch anyway?", he asked.

"The Badlands", the family man replied indifferently.

"The place Teddy Roosevelt went to? Really?", Gunnar said, the musher's stunned voice fading off into the distance as he and Tom started walking again, and stepped out of Balto's earshot.

The wolf-dog's ears flattened against his head, and he hung his head down in shame. He had been there the day Tom and his family arrived in Nome, all those years ago. He had been admiring Jenna from afar for the first time, she was so beautiful, even then. He could still remember Tom's first words in the new land perfectly - '_Well here we are, Nome, Alaska!_'. He had been so happy and proud that his childhood dreams were coming true, even if his brother wasn't all that impressed. Tom had finally given his family all the beauty and wide open space they could ever ask for. But now he was prepared to sacrifice all that and go back to his old life just because he didn't want to let go of Balto.

Another person about to give up their picture perfect life, just to help out one stray. Well he couldn't let Tom do this. He couldn't let anyone do this for him. He didn't deserve it. If all his friends planned on ruining their lives for him, he'd just have to make sure they never got the chance, by doing something he should have done years ago. It was time for Balto to leave Nome, Alaska once and for all, and never look back.

**((()-()))**

"I don't get it, where is he? It's been half an hour", Sylvie grumbled.

"Trust me, he'll be here", Jenna replied, unmoving.

"Dix, you and I both know Jenna's not gonna budge on this thing. But do you think you can…you know?", Nikki asked, whispering into the little show dog's ear.

"Got it", she replied, before turning around and disappearing into the crowd of dogs. A second later the door to the Old Mill opening, and a blast of cold air flew inside (sending a chill down everyone's spines), before the door slammed shut again and the dogs all went on about their business.

Since everyone in the Mill was talking amongst themselves (except for Jenna, who insisted on waiting there patiently for fiancée), nobody noticed when Jared's bandmate, Rocky, started to play a melancholy song in the background.

**((()-()))**

"_**Everything**_" by Lighthouse begins.

Dixie stormed down Front Street, grumbling about how cold it was the whole time, before finally finding what she was looking for. The large shape of Jenna's half-wolf boyfriend padding down one of Nome's darkened alleys. "Balto? What are you doing out here?! Jenna's been waiting in there forever for you. Don't tell me you planned on standing her up so you could stand out here in the cold all night?", she asked, angry and confused at the same time.

For some reason, Balto seemed to hesitate before answering, as if he had to come up with the right words for whatever he had to say. Since it was dark, Dixie didn't noticed the damp spots in his fur, or the tears he was fighting back in his eyes. Although he certainly hadn't planned on running into the show dog, Balto knew this was the last time he was ever gonna see one of his friends again, and he wanted to be strong. "I'm sorry Dixie, but I'm not coming", he started, but before he could continue Dixie cut him off.

_Find here, and speak to me. I want to feel you, I need to hear you. _

"What do you mean you're not coming?! What is wrong with you lately?! You haven't been talking to your friends, you've been neglecting Jenna, you're all sad and mopey, it's like you're a completely different dog!", she snapped.

"I'm not neglecting her, at least, not on purpose. Everything I've done, and everything I'm about to do has been for her own good. Dixie, promise me you'll tell her that", Balto asked quietly.

"Why don't you tell her yourself? For god's sake Balto, you and Jenna have had fights before, and you've never needed your friends to tell each other messages before", Dixie groaned, her anger fading. But even though her temper was letting up, it was now being replaced by even worse feeling, unease. Balto was really starting to worry her now, just like he had Kaltag that afternoon. She didn't like how quiet he was being. And then, he said the words she had been hoping he wouldn't say.

_You are the light, that's leading me to the place where I'll find peace again._

"I can't tell her myself, because she can never see me again", the wolf-dog explained.

Dixie stared at him, shocked, before the little dog wrenched her mouth open. "What?!", she asked.

"I'm going away, and leaving Nome. If I'm gonna leave town, I'd rather it be by my own choice than the mayor's. It'll save a lot of people a lot of pain that way", the hybrid explained.

"But…but, what about Jenna, huh?! The dog you've been in love with for three years, recently proposed to, and got all her hopes up just to play this…this…craziness on her?!", Dixie said furiously.

_You are the strength that keeps me walking. You are the hope that keeps me trusting. _

"Dixie, I know this'll hurt her. But I'm not doing this because I'm afraid. Think about it, really think about it. What kind of life can Jen have with me? The fact that the people in this town are thinking about tossing me out proves that I can never settle down. If I choose to stay here, the people here will kill me. And if I go to live in the woods, Jenna would have to leave behind her family and her girl to be with me, and that would kill _her_. Plus, we'd always be running, never able to stop and have a family of our own. Jenna deserves better than that. She deserves so much better Dix. Would you really want all that for her?", the wolf-dog asked.

_You are the light to my soul. You are my purpose, you're everything._

Dixie didn't know what to say. She wanted to be angry at him, she wanted to bite him and slap him right across the face like she had with Steele, but she couldn't. Because Balto wasn't like Steele. And he wasn't about to break Jenna's heart for selfish reasons like Steele would. He was doing this to save her.

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you? Would you tell me how could it be any better than this? Yeah._

"Jenna and I have been through something like this before. She never told you about this, but the reason she and I stopped seeing each other for three years was because I put her in danger and I kept her from having a normal life. After Devil and his gang took her, I forced her to leave me alone and live her life with other dogs, hoping someday she would find someone else to love, someone who could give her a normal life, and a normal family. But of course she didn't. Now I realize I was right before, about us having to stay away from each other. But this time, I'll be the one to leave, and not Jenna. When I do, I need you to tell her I love her, and that's why I'm letting her go for good this time", Balto requested.

_You calm the storms, and you give me rest. You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall. _

By now, Balto wasn't the only one fighting off tears. "Why are you asking me to tell her this? Why don't you?", she sobbed.

"I would if I could, but I can't. You know Jenna just as well as I do, she'd never let me leave, not without putting up one hell of a fight. The last time I forced her to go, it almost killed us both, and I don't think either of us could stand that again", Balto replied.

Dixie wiped away her tears, and scowled at the half-breed. "You…why do you always have to do the right thing all the time?", she said, trying her best to growl but failing miserably.

"It's how my father raised me", Balto replied, his heart sinking even further as he realized it wasn't just Jenna he was abandoning, but Boris and Muk and Luk as well, who would never see their oldest friend again.

_You steal my heart, and you take my breath away. Would you take me in, take me deeper now?_

At this point, Dixie had heard enough. "Jenna", she said, finding her voice suddenly hoarse from all the crying she had done, making it hard for her speak louder. She slowly started to back up, and turned away from Balto to look at the Old Mill, the place where all friends were still partying happily, blissfully ignorant of the tragedy that was about to befall them.

"Jenna", she said louder now, straining her vocal cords and forcing them to work right for her.

"Thank you", Balto said gratefully, before starting to walk again, and disappearing around a corner. He knew that by the time Dixie actually found Jenna and told her about his plan, he'd already be gone.

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you? Would you tell me how could it be any better than this? _

"JENNA!", Dixie screamed, finally managing to achieve the full volume she was looking for. The show dog ran towards the canine-filled building, and shoved on the Mill's front doors with as much force as she could. They flew open around her, and she stumbled into at least two or three dogs as she tore into the throng. However, she didn't apologize to them like she would normally do, nor did she pay any attention to the loud 'thump' the Old Mill's doors made when they slammed shut, she only focused on one thing and one thing only, finding her friend and telling her the worst possible news as quickly as she could.

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you? Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?_

When she did find Jenna, it almost killed her to see the usual smile on her friend's face, knowing that this was quite possibly the last time she would ever see it on the husky. And that she would be the cause of it.

The next three minutes flew by so fast.

Dixie didn't hear the words pouring out of her mouth as she broke Jenna's heart. She didn't notice the way her whole body was shaking as she recounted every last detail of what Balto had told her. She only paid attention to Jenna's, whose expression went from happy to almost unreadable as the show dog went on.

By the time Dixie was finished, Jenna looked…broken. There was no other word to describe it. She looked like all the life and soul she had had in her just a few minutes earlier was gone, as if it had never even existed in the first place. She looked like a woman who had just lost her very reason for living. A woman who had just lost everything.

_Cause you're all I want! You're all I need! You're everything, everything! _

As much as it pained her to admit it, Dixie knew now that Balto was right before. If he had told Jenna she was leaving, she would never had let him go. She would have begged, and cried, and maybe even shouted at him to stay, and all her attempts would have been pointless and futile. An immediate, but torturous ordeal of pain was a thousand times better than a long, dragged out one. Like ripping off a band-aid.

_You're all I want! You're all I need! You're everything, everything! _

"He's gone?", she whispered, though it came out more of a statement than a question.

"He did it because he's think it's best for you Jen, you and your family", Dixie said.

"He's always does", Jenna whispered, to Dixie's confusion. She certainly hadn't expected this reaction from Jenna. She had expected her friend to go into denial, or cry, or even break down completely. But the last thing Jenna said had almost sounded angry.

_You're all I want! You're all I need! You're everything, everything! _

But before Dixie could ponder this any further, Jenna confirmed her suspicions, and brushed past the show dog, charging into the crowd around her. "Where are you going?", Dixie demanded, as usual right on her girlfriend's heels.

"I'm going to go find Balto and talk some sense into him!", Jenna replied, as she pushed another pair of dogs out of her way (quickly throwing an apology back towards them) and continued onwards.

_You're all I want! You're all I need! You're everything, everything! _

"But Jenna, this is this Balto we're talking about! He's probably already gone, and if he doesn't want to be found, no one can find him!", Dixie reasoned.

"You don't know him like I do. I know where he's going. Just stay here!", Jenna shouted, finally reaching the front doors and throwing them open. Before Dixie could stop her, Jenna dashed down the street, and disappeared around a corner only a few seconds after she left the Mill. Now Balto _and_ Jenna were gone. And Dixie had no way of knowing if she'd ever see either of them again.

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?! Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?! _

And then the last voice Dixie wanted to hear at the moment appeared behind her head. "Did Jenna just say Balto was gone?", Kaltag asked, stunned.

"Yeah…he left a few minutes ago", Dixie replied quietly, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"I was afraid he'd do something like this", Kaltag muttered.

"Listen, don't worry about it Kal. If I know Jenna, and I do, she'll bring him home", Dixie promised, though she knew the optimism she gave off was only because of her superb acting skills. In truth, she had no idea what was gonna happen next. All she knew was that she had lost two of her closest friends in the blink of an eye.

**((()-()))**

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?! Would you tell me how could it be any better, any better than this?!_

Balto knew he should have hit the road by now. At the moment he should have been deep in forest, sprinting through the darkness while never looking back at the town he had left behind him. But before he could leave, there was still something he had to see one last time. The trawler. The place that had been his home for so long now, and his only place of sanctuary since he arrived in Nome as a pup five years ago.

But it wasn't just the place that he was going to miss, it was the old boat's residents as well. Boris, Muk, and Luk. They had been Balto's best friends long before he met Jenna, and were the closest things to a family the wolf-dog had ever known. Leaving them alone now without so much of a good-bye was perhaps the worst thing Balto would ever do in his life. But he was doing it to them for the same reason he had Jenna.

_And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?! Yeah! Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?! _

The wolf-dog stared wistfully at the trawler for a few minutes (he knew Boris had to be asleep by now), and resisted the urge to climb up the ramp one last time (he couldn't risk waking up his goose father), before forcing his head to turn away from his home, and continuing on his journey. "Goodbye Boris", Balto said to himself, before vanishing into the woods.

And only a few minutes later, his fiancée Jenna followed his tracks. She wasn't going to let Balto get away from her that easily. Not again. Not ever again.

_Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?_

_**Author's Notes:**_

Yep, the next chapter is going down the old 'woman follows her lover' route ('honey wait, don't get on that plane, I love you!'). I'll admit it's been done dozens of times in movies, books, and TV shows, but it's a classic plot twist. This was something else that had been set up in Part 1 and Part 2 last year, so I'm guessing a few of you had already seen this moment coming when you read Balto's thoughts about leaving Nome in chapter 3 of Part 2. Since this whole story is about a hero being tested, a lot Balto's issues need to be resolved before he can do what he needs to do in this fic. One of them being, does he keep running away from his problems like he has his whole life, or does he stay and let his friends help him instead of trying to go it alone all the time?


	7. Chapter 7: The Beacon

_**Chapter 7: Epiphany (The Beacon).**_

_**The Old Mill. 10:25 P.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:**_

"Gone? What do you mean he's gone?", Jared asked.

"Gone as in gone. He left half an hour ago, and Jenna's out who-knows-where looking for him", Kaltag replied.

"But…but…why would leave? He's the principal witness in Steele's trial. Without him there to testify, there's a chance Steele's charges won't stick. And if the charges don't stick then…", Star rambled, before Kaltag raised his one of his large paws to his mouth.

"Jeez, calm down already before you start a riot", the husky grunted.

"But he's got a point, if Balto's not here there's no telling the jury will find Steele guilty", another dog, Jim, added.

"Now hang on a minute people, there's no need to get all worked up", Doc said, hoping to calm everyone's nerves before mass hysteria started. But the old dog was already way too late.

The crowd of dogs simply acted as if they hadn't heard their alpha, and kept on speculating. "How could Balto do this to us? He's supposed to be your team's led dog, how can our leader abandon us when we need him the most?!", another dog, Chance, said, outraged.

"He's no better than Steele", shouted an angry female.

"Guys, cool your jets. Everything's gonna be fine", Jared said, trying to help Doc contain the situation, but their efforts were to no avail.

As he saw how quickly things spiraled out of control, how riled up the mob how gotten in just a few minutes, Kaltag growled mentally, and rushed to Doc's side to help the Saint Bernard. "_Balto, I don't know where the hell you are, but we could really use our fearless leader right now. Now get your tail down here and defend yourself!_", the husky thought angrily, even though he knew the wolf-dog couldn't hear him.

**((()-()))**

_**Alaska Wilderness. 11:30 P.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:**_

Balto's laid in the middle of a meadow (his meadow), resting his head in his paws, and trying to wrap his mind around what he had just done. He had just left Nome. When he was younger, he had always dreamed about leaving Nome, but he never thought he'd actually do it. He never thought he would be brave enough to take a risk like that. "_Or desperate enough_", he thought, right before he heard the sound of paws packing in snow behind him.

He didn't need to turn around, he didn't need to ask who it was, he didn't even need to sniff the air. There was only one dog in the world who would follow his scent into the woods, miles away from home in the middle of the night. Plus, there was there only one other dog in the world he had ever shown this place to.

"_**Little Amy**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"I knew I'd find you here. You told me this was where you always used to go to think", Jenna said, as she approached her ex-fiancée. Though by the time the night was over, she hoped to lose the 'ex'.

"How'd you remember where this place was?", the half-breed asked, surprised.

"Are you kidding? Coming here was the longest two hours of my life. My feet were sore like crazy, but the view was well worth the pain. I'd never forget where this place was even if I wanted to", Jenna said lightly, though anyone could tell that under the husky's joking façade, she really felt angry and betrayed. And since Balto was a gifted soul reader (a term coined by himself), he didn't have to guess just how much he had hurt her, again.

"Jenna, why did you come here? I just keeping do this to you, and you just keep looking for me", he asked, confused.

"I came to stop you from throwing your life away", Jenna replied, sitting down next to the hybrid.

"Jenna, I'm not throwing my life away. I'm speeding up what's already inevitable", Balto replied.

Jenna scoffed, and to Balto's surprise, actually rolled her eyes. "Balto, when we were kids, you told me you had the ability to read people's souls. Now, even if you weren't pulling my leg, I still don't remember you saying anything about being able to predict the future. Neither of us know what's gonna happen tomorrow. As far as we know, the humans just might surprise us and vote for you to stay. So why jump the gun before the bullets are even fired?", Jenna reasoned.

"Because Jenna, Thomas is already anticipating it too. If the people of Nome do vote to banish me from town, he's prepared to move to another town instead of giving me up. He'd rather give up his life's dream, and uproot the lives of his entire family than let me go. Now I've always a home in Nome, but I'm not gonna make Rosie's family choose between keeping me and keeping their home", Balto explained, though this didn't seem to faze Jenna either. The husky immediately had a counter for that too.

"Balto, the reason Tom is willing do to something like that is _because_ you're part of his family. He would make a sacrifice like that for anyone in his family. His wife, his daughter, his brother, his father. And Rosie and Eve would do the same as well. I know I would", Jenna replied.

"And that's the other reason why I have to go Jenna. I can't keep asking you to make all these sacrifices for me. How can I be a good husband to you when all I cause is you nothing but trouble? In the past few days alone, you've been attacked by a mad dog, you've become a social outcast, and you're about to lose your home all because of me. I told you years ago that you were better off without me in your life", the half-wolf stated.

"And I told you that my life wouldn't be worth living without you in it. Yes, we've had some close encounters, but all the good times we've had are well worth the bad. You have saved me more times than I can count. And you've saved Rosie, and the sled dog team, and the townspeople, you've even saved Wilson. And I've saved yours more than a few times too. I need you just like you need me, and it's been like that ever since we were kids. That's how I've always known we belong together. That's why I said yes when you proposed to me. And that's why I want to have a family with you, and grow old together someday", Jenna replied, raising her paw and rubbing her lover on the cheek.

"I know Jenna. I want that just like you do. But the other dogs will never let us be together. Look at how far they've gone to keep us apart. Steele and Blaze are always plotting against us, and they're just two of many. Even the mayor wants me gone. This is just one battle even we can't win", Balto reasoned.

Jenna raised her eyebrows. "So's that it? You're just gonna give up?", she asked skeptically. When the wolf-dog nodded his head silently in reply, Jenna scoffed, and stood up. "You've faced blizzards and bears, but when one human decides he doesn't like you and he wants you gone, you just tuck in your tail and run away? What happened to the Balto I know? The Balto who saved me all those years ago? The Balto who's willing to risk his own life for something believes in? The Balto who's willing to go out in a blizzard and brave the unknown just to rescue a bunch of people he doesn't even like?!", Jenna asked rhetorically.

"Jen-", Balto started, before Jenna placed her paw over the half-wolf's mouth. The husky had something important that she needed to tell him, and for once he was going to keep quiet and let her finish.

"_**Martha Triumphant**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"Remember the day you first met me? You saw me being chased by Devil and his gang. I screamed for help for so long, but no one would come to my rescue. When they cornered me, I thought I was going to die, until you appeared. Balto, the most unlikely of heroes. You beat them so badly, for a moment I thought you were a killer, just like they were. Until you spared their leader's life. That's when I knew for sure you were special. So when you told me you were a half-wolf, I hardly cared. The only thing that mattered to me was that you were bravest man I knew, and the kindest", Jenna said.

"When Devil came back and took me on Christmas Eve, I thought both of our times were up. But as usual, you took us all by surprise. Not only were you willing to work with Steele to save me, but actually showed mercy on Devil's gang again, and rescued Wilson when no one else would. And you showed the same mercy towards Steele. No matter what happened that night, and no matter how much of a risk it was to your own safety, you were determined not to give up until everyone went home alive, even the bad guys. I know a lot of people of think your kindness is a weakness, but I think it's one of your greatest strengths", Jenna said affectionately.

"And then came the serum run. I hadn't talked to you in three long years, but you hadn't changed at all in all that time. In fact, I'd say you were even more a hero than I remembered. When you returned to Nome with the medicine, it was one of the greatest moments of my life. You had came through for me, just like I knew you would. My hero had persevered and found a way to save everyone, again. When you asked me to marry you, there was never even the possibility of turning you down. I had made my choice a long time ago that I would never want the spend the rest of my life with anyone but you", Jenna smiled, as she felt her fiancée's lips twist upwards as well. Once she was sure she had gotten everything she wanted to say out of her system, the rust and creamed colored husky removed her paw so Balto could talk again.

"I know that it seems like fate's working against us all the time Balto, but this isn't a fairy tale or a story in a book. This is real life, and real love. Our story doesn't have to end the same way Romeo and Juliet's did if we don't want it to. Sure people have tried to shoot us down in the past, but everything that didn't kill us only made us stronger. And in the past few days, we've gotten glimpse of what our life together can be like. You know about how history together, but just think about all that future history just waiting to be written. Are you really just going to give up on our dream and throw all that away? Because if you are, then you never loved me the way I loved you", Jenna proclaimed, right before she was silenced by two warm lips pressing against hers. Balto's reply was the kind that couldn't be told in words, but instead shown with the most intimate display of affection a man could give his lover. The kiss lasted longer than any the couple had ever had before, and was three times as passionate as the one they had shared right after the hybrid proposed.

When Balto finally pulled away, more than a minute later, the hybrid's smile had increased twofold. "Jenna Jones, you are the most the stubborn, talkative, and amazing woman I've ever met", he said contently.

"So does that mean you're staying?", she asked hopefully.

"How can I argue with a case like that?", the wolf-dog replied, his large smile turning into a full-blown grin. Jenna laughed, tears of joy now replacing the sorrowful ones, as she ran up and hugged her boyfriend. "You were right. I've never run away from something this important before, and I'm not going to start now", the half-breed declared, as he wrapped her paws around the husky.

"Whatever happens tomorrow, we'll face it together. Just like we always have", Jenna proclaimed, raising her head so she could look the bigger dog in the eyes.

"Jenna Jones versus City Hall. Mayor Sutherland won't know what hit him", Balto said playfully, before kissing his mate again.

Like he told Dixie before, there was no way Jenna would ever let him go again. And now Balto realized there was no way he would ever be able to let her go himself. Everything he had done, everyone insane obstacle and trial he had overcome over the years, it had all been in Jenna's name. Jenna said that without him her life wasn't worth living, and Balto felt the same way. He couldn't imagine a world without Jenna Jones it, the dog who had fought off a bear to help him. After all, what would be the point of living in a loveless world?

All those times Jenna had said they worked best together, there was always a part of him that hadn't quite believed her, who thought she was still better off without him. But now…he felt like whatever fate would befall him the next night, him and his unbreakable bride-to-be would be able to handle it. He would gladly welcome a life outside of Nome (in South Dakota) with Jenna, than spend the rest of his days in some other strange land alone. Like Jenna had said, this was one love story that they were determined to make sure had a happy ending.

When their kiss was over again, Jenna stepped away from her boyfriend, and beckoned for him to follow her. "We should be getting back, the others will want to know that we're okay", the husky said worriedly.

"I guess it's time to face the music. On a scale of one to ten, how furious do you think Dixie will be with me?", Balto asked, as he trailed his girlfriend across the meadow.

"Eleven", Jenna replied.

**((()-()))**

_**The Old Mill. 11:34 P.M. Wednesday, February 4, 1925:**_

Blaze smirked. The husky knew something like this would happen eventually. It was only a matter of time until the lobo got scared and skipped town. No matter how much of a hero everyone had claimed he was, Blaze knew all along that the half-breed was a coward, and now everyone knew how he right he was. The only way Blaze could have enjoyed this moment more was if his hero, Steele, was there to see it with him.

Poor Doc had tried the best he could to calm everyone down for the past hour, but every time he managed to put out the fire, someone always spoke their opinion of Balto and fanned the flames again. The Saint Bernard was only one dog, and even with Jared, Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Dixie, and Sylvie helping him, it still wasn't enough. With Balto AWOL and unable to defend himself, they were fighting a losing battle.

In fact, the town alpha and his diligent followers were so busy tending to the hectic crowd that none of them noticed when the doors to the Old Mill swung open again, and two very familiar dogs walked inside.

"Wow, this is interesting. I've never seen the Mill this packed before. Why are there so many of you?", Balto asked, the hybrid and his girlfriend stepped into the throng.

When everyone stopped talking, and turned to stare at the couple, Jenna smiled. "I told you he'd come", the husky said.

Blaze and his pals, shocked, stood up from where they were sitting and growled underneath their breaths. How could the half-breed be back?! They thought they had finally got rid of him.

Meanwhile, Dixie and Kaltag slowly walked over to Balto, and circled the hybrid, their expressions still uncharacteristically neutral.

"Balto?", Dixie asked slowly.

"Yeah?", the hybrid replied, before his face was pushed backwards by the sheer force of Dixie's paw.

"What the hell were you thinking?!", the show dog snarled.

The hybrid flinched, and rubbed his sore cheek. "_I've never heard her swear before, even in an emergency. Jenna was wrong. This is way more than an eleven_", he thought. "I deserved that", he admitted. And then just when he was recovering from the last blow, he felt himself being slapped again, only this time twice as hard. It didn't take much to guess that Dixie's sudden outburst had inspired Kaltag to do the same. "Okay, I deserved that too", Balto groaned, as he bounced back from the impact.

"We're in the middle of a crisis, Steele's trial is in a few days, you're getting married the week after, and you decide to just skip town?! Are you crazy?!", Kaltag snapped, every bit as angry as his smaller friend.

"I am so, so sorry. I was being stupid, and all I wanted to do was run. Jenna called me on it, and she brought me back here", the wolf-dog explained, before glancing over at his mate, who had been grinning silently as her friends' laid into her boyfriend.

"Hey, it's what girlfriends do", Jenna said, feigning indifference.

Kaltag glared at him, before grumbling something that sounded like 'just don't do it again' and nodding his head. Even though his friend hadn't really said anything, Balto knew he was forgiven. Dixie's trust however would be a lot harder to get back, and he was looking forward to that.

But just when it seemed like everything was going to be fine again, Doc suddenly spoke up. "Balto, why did you come back?", the Saint Bernard asked, though he couldn't have anticipated that his peers would take his good-natured question and twist it all around.

"Yeah wolf-dog, why did you come crawling back here? Shouldn't you have found a pack in the woods and run off with them?!", one dog, Hank, said from within the crowd. And now that the gauntlet had been thrown down, there was no way Blaze was gonna miss out on the 'bashing Balto' party.

"Hank's right. You can't commit to anything, even running away", the young husky taunted.

Balto's friends glanced at the wolf-dog, but were surprised to find the dogs' comments weren't bothering him for once. Instead, he looked almost amused. The half-breed, in a move that surprised even his mate, ignored everyone else in the crowd and turned towards Doc.

"Doc, I came back here because I want to help. I may get kicked out of town tomorrow, then again I may won't. But for now I'm still a legal citizen of Nome, and part of being a town dog includes doing your part for the community", Balto explained.

"But don't you get it half-wolf? No one wants you here! That's the reason why the community is trying to get rid of you", Blaze barked, trying his best to get the wolf-dog's attention.

"_**The Majestic Tale (Of A Madman In A Box)**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Balto raised his eyebrow, and stepped away from Doc, turning his attention towards the dog who had pain in the side for the past few days. Unsurprisingly, Blaze's cohorts were by his side the minute they saw Balto approaching him, ready to back him up in case the victim of their torment was ready for round two. But their actions only amused Balto even more.

The wolf-dog stopped just a few feet away from Blaze. Just like he had the other day, he chose to stand face-to-face with the younger dog so he could look Blaze right in the eye while he was talking to him.

"You know Blaze, you and your pals are always talking about how you want me gone, and how I don't belong here. Basically, you've been saying the same thing over and over for years now. And I want to know why", the hybrid said calmly.

"Why what?", Blaze asked, confused.

"Why don't I belong here?", Balto clarified.

Blaze snorted. "Don't be stupid lobo", he said dismissively.

"I'm not. If I'm not supposed to live here, then surely there's a reason why. So tell me, why can't a wolf-dog live amongst humans and dogs?", Balto asked patiently.

Blaze rolled his eyes. "I don't have to explain anything to you", he said hostilely.

"Really? Because I talked to Steele a few hours ago, and he was glad to tell me the reason why he wants me gone. Which makes me wonder, do _you_ have even have a reason? Or have you been deliberately making my life a living hell just because you can? Because you wanted to impress your hero?", Balto said suggestively.

At first, Blaze was about to snap at the half-breed, until he realized that everyone in the Mill had stopped looking at Balto, and were now all staring at him, pressuring him to answer the hybrid's question. "All right half-wolf. You want to ask stupid questions? You can't stay here because we don't want any killers in our town", the husky growled.

"Except I've never killed anyone. Not once in my life", Balto countered.

For the first time since their conversation began, Blaze's arrogant expression began to falter, and his eyebrows knit together in worry, as he realized the clever wolf-dog had used his own hostility against him, just as he had with Steele.

"That's just what you _would_ say if you were lying", Derek said, deciding to come to his buddy's defense in the argument.

"Hmm…you've got a point. After all, I'm a wolf, and everyone knows that wolves are notorious liars, so you need a second opinion", the hybrid said amusedly. "Jenna, have I ever killed anyone?", he asked his mate.

"In all the time that I've known you? Not a one", she said happily, joining her mate in front of Blaze's posse.

"Kal, have you ever seen me kill anyone?", Balto continued, grinning now.

"I've seen you beat the crap out of a couple of guys who deserved it before, including me a few times, but I've never seen you get all bloodthirsty, if that's what you're asking", Kaltag joked, joining Balto on the hybrid's other side.

"Yeah, if anything I'd say Balto is too forgiving", Jared added, followed by a few short murmurs from the crowd.

Balto turned back to Blaze, who quickly replaced his worried expression with his familiar mask of anger. "Well Blaze, looks like that point is now moot. You're just gonna have to think of something else", the half-wolf said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Just because you haven't killed anyone yet doesn't mean you won't someday half-breed. Everyone knows your kind are unstable. All you want to do is kill humans and dogs, and take our land as your own", Blaze said quickly.

"There's just one problem with that. If I wanted to kill the humans and 'claim their land as my own', shouldn't I have done that years ago? Instead of living in a trawler with a goose and two polar bears? If I was really the ruthless killing machine you all think I am, why would I choose that life of solitude for years when I could conquer?", Balto countered.

This time it took Blaze a fraction of a second longer than respond, and Balto's grin grew wider when he saw his plan was working. He only had to keep pushing Blaze for a little bit longer.

"Because you're trying to be smart about your plan. You've been biding your time and trying to get us all to trust you so you can stab us in the back. Deception is like a second nature to you lobos. After all, are we really supposed to believe that all you want is to 'run in a sled dog team' and help the humans with 'the greater good'? Please", Blaze scoffed.

"But that is all I'm doing it for. I like to help people. I _love_ to help people", the wolf-dog replied, unfazed.

"And what makes you think we want a freak's help?", Blaze growled. The husky was beginning to lose his patience now, and thus he was falling right into Balto's trap.

"Because if I don't, who will? Everyone in this town is so blind, so uncaring to other people's troubles. Jenna reminded me of that tonight. When I first met her, she was being chased by three dogs. Some of you might remember them, Devil, Wilson, and Cookie? She ran all over town, screaming for someone to help her like her life depended on it, but no one came. No one but me. Now I'm sure I'm not the only one who heard her cries, or saw her plight, so why I am the only one who showed up in that alley and faced Devil's gang to rescue her?", Balto asked.

When Blaze didn't reply, Balto's grin widened exponentially, and the half-wolf pressed the subject even harder. "Well Blaze, why did it take a wolf-dog, the lowest form of creature known to man, to do what a whole town wouldn't?", he asked, stepping away from Blaze and circling the crowd.

As Balto moved from dog to dog, Jenna looked at her boyfriend, and then Blaze, who looked like he was trying his hardest to keep his tongue bitten, before everything clicked into place in her mind. She had been a little confused at first about where Balto was going with this conversation, since his questions were all over the place, but now she finally realized what he was doing. Her husband-to-be always had an ace up his sleeve.

"And what about the serum run? I didn't see anyone here going out in the middle of a blizzard and trying to do the impossible when the team got lost. I don't really blame you all, you'd have to be out of your mind to try a stunt like that, or just really desperate. But why are you criticizing me when I'm the only one who was willing to sacrifice myself to save all your owners?", the half-wolf continued, speaking to the whole crowd this time. No one answered him, like he had expected, so Balto continued on with his argument.

"Time and time again, I've risked my own neck to help others. Not because I want something out of it, like glory or respect, but just because I can. And you wanna know why I do what I do? I refuse to sit around and watch people suffer and die just because I'm too afraid to take a stand and help them out. I've never turned a blind eye to the needs of this town before, and I won't do it now. When Steele's trial comes, I will give my testimony and make sure I do my part to help bring him to justice. The only way I'm leaving any time soon is if the mayor forces me to go. But that decision is out of my hands, so I won't worry about it until the time comes", the wolf-dog declared, earning several cheers from his friends, before returning to Blaze again, prepared to ask one last, damning question.

Everyone in the room (Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Dixie, Sylvie, Jenna, Doc, Jared, Rocky, Mac, Jim, Derek, Zeke, Mark), fell silent as they waited for that crucial moment to come to a head, while Balto returned to the question that had started it all.

"So Blaze, tell me now. Why don't I belong here?", he asked simply.

Blaze glared at him, and opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out.

"What was that?", Balto asked, raising his paw to his ear.

Blaze opened his mouth again, but again no sound came out. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of anything to say to the hybrid. Not a taunt, not an insult, not a growl, not a snarl, not a bark, not a whisper. During their game of wits, he had unwittingly let the wolf-dog box him into a corner.

And Balto had won.

"He did it", Jenna whispered, stunned. "He actually did it", she said, a little bit louder now.

"Yeah!", Kaltag cheered, while Dixie whistled.

As she saw how Blaze, the once proud and unmoving disciple of Steele, stood frozen in place without a single insult in mind to fling at his rival, Sylvie turned towards her girlfriend, confused. "How did he do that?", she asked.

"He's Balto. It's what he does", Jenna said, chuckling. He was back. The Balto that she knew and loved was back. And he was still just as heroic as she remembered him. Maybe even more.

"The guy has a way with words", Nikki added. He remembered his fight with Devil and his gang like it was yesterday. Him and his teammates were convinced the only way they'd be able to get rid of Devil and his cohorts was by ending their lives, until Balto appeared and talked them out of making the worst mistake of their lives. Not to mention intimidating Devil into submission using only his words as weapons.

"Awesome", Jared said.

Once he saw Blaze wasn't going to say anything more, Balto stepped a few feet closer so he and Blaze were now so close together the husky couldn't ignore him even if he wanted to.

"I've always had the best interests of my friends and family at heart. I'm not a hero, I'm just a guy who tries to do the right thing whenever I can. But I'm also not a killer. I am a legal citizen of this town, pet of Thomas and Evelyn Jones, and Jenna's future husband. I have just as much of a right to be as you do. The city council may vote me out tomorrow, but no one and nothing else can force me to leave my family again, you understand?", the wolf-dog declared. Blaze of course didn't reply, but Balto stepped back anyway, satisfied. "That's what I thought", he said, right before the room erupted into cheer.

There had never been a louder applause for just one dog than there had for Balto that night. The sound of three dozen dogs all clapping their paws together at the same time was even more ear-shattering than the humans screaming when Balto returned the medicine to Nome that Monday, but Balto paid no attention to the noise. Instead the happy half-breed walked up to her fiancée, and kissed her on the lips, not giving a damn who saw them.

Confronting Blaze was just the thing Balto had needed. The timid, worried Balto who had been avoiding everyone and keeping to himself for the past few days was now gone, and hopefully gone forever. He had finally been replaced by Balto's true self, the brave and modest half-breed that everyone looked up to. Balto was more than just a dog, and he was more than just a hero. He was a legend. A beacon of hope for everyone who had ever wished they could take a stand and make their world a better place.

As Blaze and his gang slunk back into the crowd, hiding their faces in shame, everyone in the Old Mill that night proclaimed that Balto had more than earned his reputation as Nome's savior, no matter how much he denied his heroics. Whatever happened the next night, the citizens of Nome, both humans and dogs, would face it together with Balto leading their way. As it was always meant to be.

_**Author's Notes:**_

So Balto's back to normal, and just in time. You'll see what I mean in the next chapter. For now, let's talk about this one. Music has always been an important part of my stories, ever since my very first fanfic. If I hadn't been listening to wonderful music of Murray Gold and the BBC National Orchestra, a lot of my favorite moments in my stories probably wouldn't have been written, or wouldn't have turned out quite right (like Balto's proposal to Jenna in Part 1). In this chapter, we return to a lot of the themes and motifs that drove Part 1. The eerie lullaby, "_**Little Amy**_", makes a return apperance. Along with "_**Martha Triumphant**_", a variation on "_**Martha's Theme**_", the jazzy waltz I chose for the scene where Jenna meets Balto and Boris for the first time. And finally, one of my all time favorites, "_**I Am The Doctor**_".

In "_**The Impossible Astronaut**_" / "_**Day of the Moon**_", the Doctor and his companions, Amy, Rory, and River traveled to the good old US of A in the year 1969, and "_**The Majestic Tale (Of A Madman In A Box)**_", is the tune that underscores their victory over the Silence at the two-parter's conclusion. People had gotten a glimpse of "_**The Majestic Tale**_" in plenty of episodes prior, like "_**Amy's Choice**_" and "_**Cold Blood**_", and even the "_**Doctor Who Prom**_" (2010). But this American-styled variation on "_**I Am The Doctor**_" never rises higher than in "_**Day of the Moon**_" when the Doctor and River Song have a shoot-off with the Silence that's so amazing it would make Clint Eastwood proud. The track's perfect mixture of violins and electric guitars gives just the right sense of a hero standing tall and proud in one of his greatest moments. I've been waiting a long time to "_**The Majestic Tale**_" in one of my stories, but I've never found just the right moment until now. So tell me guys, what did you think?


	8. Chapter 8: A Town Divided

_**Chapter 8: A Town Divided.**_

_**Nome's City Hall. 6:30 P.M. Thursday, February 5, 1925:**_

Balto and Jenna's paws were locked firmly together, their fingers intertwined closely, as the couple awaited yet another crucial moment in their lives. What happened in the next half hour would decide whether they would spend the rest of their days in the beautiful frozen north, or the scorching Badlands of South Dakota.

Nome's City Hall was once again packed full of people, including Tom, Eve, Gunnar, and Rosie (who was glad to finally be out of the hospital, but furious that her own mayor and a lot of her neighbors were trying to take her new dog away from her). Eve, like her daughter, looked both troubled and angry at the same time. Tom and Gunnar, well, those two were so furious they looked like they could kill the person who had summoned them all there.

Mayor Sutherland cleared his throat, and stepped up to his usual podium. "You all know why we're here. There has been a lot of disturbances in the past week, and all of them revolve around one dog, the same dog who, just a few days ago, you all voted to be captain of the sled team. Well, today we're here on a much more serious matter. To decide whether or not said dog is a threat to public safety. If the majority agrees that he is, Mr. Jones' ownership of Balto will be overruled and the former captain will be banned from Nome for the rest of his days", the man announced, deliberately paying no mind to pissed-off musher who was now clawing his fingernails into the arm of his chair.

"Once you all cast your votes, they cannot be taken back, and the judgment passed onto Balto can never be acquitted", Daniel continued. "I assume that we're all here tonight?", he asked, getting a few responses from the crowd.

"Just in case, we'd better do a roll call", Sutherland decided. He didn't want to take any chances when it came to this meeting. Attendance was mandatory and crucial for every human in Nome that was of age. If there was just one person unaccounted for, and they didn't get a chance to vote, they could force him to have to do the whole meeting all over again. And Daniel knew his best chance of getting rid of Balto was to do it now while the controversy was still fresh, and the people's tempers were still flaring.

Balto turned his head around, and surveyed the room. Everyone he knew was there tonight. Dixie and Sylvie, along with their owners, were sitting a few rows behind him. Nikki, Kaltag, and Star were of course sitting next to Gunnar, all three dogs crossing their fingers for the sake of their new buddy. Blaze and his gang were there as well (for obvious reasons), but for reasons that weren't so obvious, the humiliated lead dog seemed to be avoiding Grace. Or she was avoiding him.

In fact, the only two dogs who weren't there were Doc and Jared, and that's because they were guarding Steele's 'cell'. Balto's eyes widened, and the hybrid swung his head around in all directions, searching the crowd for the trio of humans who he had just noticed were missing.

"Balto? What is it?", Jenna asked, confused.

"Samuel and his sons aren't here", the wolf-dog explained, as he continued to scan the faces of the giants towering over him and his mate. But the man and his children were still nowhere to be seen.

"Is that important?", Jenna inquired curiously.

"I don't know. But don't you think it's a bit strange that he came to the last one, but he's absent from this one?", Balto asked.

"Well, last I heard his kids are out of the hospital. Maybe he's at home with them?", she suggested.

"Maybe", the half-breed replied, though it was obvious he wasn't buying it.

**((()-()))**

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Samuel Edwards once again found himself stumbling down the street. But this time, his sons were standing on either side of him, struggling to keep their dad from toppling over as he walked down the street, wasted as usual.

"Dad, we're gonna miss the meeting", Billy groaned.

"He's right. Why'd you have drink that whole bottle before we left?", Ethan scowled.

"I thought I told you two not to tell me what to do", Sam growled, his fingers twitching. And that little warning was all it took to get both of his boys to shut their mouths and keep walking. Neither one of them wanted a repeat of what had happened the day before. Ethan's bruises were just starting to fade.

"_**You're A Dead Man**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"Hey, what's that over there?", Sam suddenly, gaining Billy and Ethan's attentions. The two brothers strained their eyes, confused about what their father was talking about (and for a moment wondering if the whiskey was just making him hallucinate), before they realized he was looking at the old warehouse across the street.

"It's just that place they closed down two years ago", Ethan shrugged, before he started walking again. To his surprise, when he tugged on his father's arm, he ended up tumbling backwards into the man's chest. Sam still hadn't budged an inch from where he was standing.

"So if it's abandoned, why are those two dogs hanging around it?", Sam slurred, as he broke free of his sons' grips (though they weren't really trying that hard to hang onto the abusive man), and staggered across the road.

"Aw dad, come on. We're already late", Billy whined.

Once he made it to the other sidewalk, Sam's head snapped around, and his blissful euphoria turned into annoyance in the blink of an eye. "Don't forget that I'm your father, and I'm the one in charge. So if I want to go look at those dogs, I sure as hell will. Besides, why should give a damn about whether or not some wolf-dog gets the boot?", he replied angrily, before approaching the Saint Bernard that he knew belonged to the town judge.

Even in his drunken state, Sam knew he should have been at the town meeting with the others, and Mayor Sutherland would probably chew him out for this later. But one of the benefits of being drunk was that you could do whatever you wanted when you wanted, and not care at all about the consequences. Besides, there was nothing an intoxicated man loved more than a good mystery, and the sight of two dogs sitting in front of an empty building, almost like they were guarding it, was calling out to him. He had noticed them doing this before the other day, but he hadn't paid attention to it until now.

He patted the old dog on the head, but since Doc didn't seem too interested in him, he decided to try his luck elsewhere. Sam walked over to a nearby window, and peered inside, pushing his night vision to it's limit in order to see inside the blackened building. As soon as he saw what was inside, and the mystery was solved, any warm, happy feelings the whiskey had caused him disappeared in a heartbeat. Replaced by an anger that burned so hot within him that he had only ever focused it on one person, or rather, one dog.

"What the fuck?!", he snarled. Why was Steele, the dog who had ruined him, lying fast asleep inside an old building?! Why were these two dogs outside guarding him? And why was Steele still alive when he could be shot full at holes at the moment?!

Sam's head snapped around, and he turned towards his two sons, who had just joined him across the street. "Bill, Ethan, go get my gun!", he barked.

"But Pa, why? What's in there?", Billy asked, worried. The last thing he wanted to was to bring his father a loaded weapon, and have him start shooting at imaginary men. Or worse, live ones.

And just like that, the silence of night was completely destroyed.

"FOR THE LAST TIME, DON'T QUESTION ME!", Sam bellowed, raising his hand.

Before their father could strike them again, Billy and Ethan did what he said and took off down the street, heading in the direction of their home. "And hurry up!", Sam shouted after them.

Motivated by fear, the two boys returned a few seconds later with their father's favorite shotgun (the one that had brought about the end of many a wild animals), and box full of ammo. The two watched fearfully as Sam loaded the gun up, cocked it, and slung the strap around his shoulder (showing a surprising amount of gun maintenance skills for someone who could barely even stand up at the moment).

But before he could make another move, Doc and Jared started nipping at his feet. They obviously knew he was about to do, and were trying to stop from him getting inside the warehouse. But Samuel Edwards had faced bears, wolves, and all kinds of fearsome creatures in his middle-aged life, so he wasn't afraid of any dogs.

Sam, annoyed, aimed his gun towards the ground, and released the trigger. Once the bullet whizzed by their heads, ricocheting off the sidewalk, Doc and Jared yelped in alarm, and ran off down the street. And thus, the last obstruction in his path to vengeance was taken care of. Now the only thing that stood between him and instant gratification was a few inches of wood.

"Goddamn dogs", he grumbled, before raising up his foot, and kicking in the door to the not-so-empty building, while his sons watched from close behind.

**((()-()))**

"I don't get it, everyone's here except for Sam and his kids. Where could they be? We can't start without them", Daniel said, frustrated.

Though he hadn't been expecting it, Daniel quickly got the answer to his question when a lone hand shot up in the crowd. "He's probably at home, having another hangover. I saw him a few days ago, and he looked like he had been drinking a lot", Connor informed.

"But he has two children, he shouldn't still be drinking", Eve said, alarmed.

"That's what I said, but he told me to mind my own business", Connor replied.

Just then, the sound of dogs barking echoed across the room, and a few seconds later Doc and Jared charged into the auditorium, heading straight for Balto.

"Someone get those dogs out of here!", Daniel yelled. All these distractions were pushing the aggravated politician close to his breaking point.

Though the humans couldn't understand anything Doc and Jared were frantically saying, Balto heard them loud and clear as they begged his assistance.

"Balto, it's Steele's owner! He's gone crazy!", Jared shouted, knowing they were short on time as several of the mayor's workers were already approaching them.

"He's drunk and he's found the warehouse where Steele is being held. He told his boys to get him his shotgun. If we don't get back there and stop him, then-", Doc explained, before Balto charged past him and bolted out the door he and Jared had just come in through. Of course, Jenna was right behind him, followed by Doc and Jared.

As they saw their beloved pets run off, the Jones family didn't know whether to follow them or stay where they were seated. "What was all that about?", Tom muttered.

"I told you that dog was unstable. He's probably run off so he can get in another fight. But I want have it! Not this time!", Daniel snapped. He turned towards one of the men seated in the front row, Nome's sheriff. "Marcus, follow those dogs. And don't be afraid to shoot if necessary", the mayor ordered.

"What?!", Gunnar shouted, outraged, as Marcus nodded his head, picked up his gun, and followed the half-breed's trail. Gunnar turned to glare at the man's employer, and ground his teeth together in rage. "You really will sink to any low to get what you want, won't you?", he said venomously, before following after Sutherland's worker.

"Kaasen, don't you try to get in the way! Let the man do his duty!", Daniel shouted after him, but Gunnar was already gone, along with everyone else.

"I'm going too", Tom decided, standing up.

"Me too", Eve added, as her and husband joined in the bizarre chase that Balto had started.

"Don't forget about me", Rosie said, as she struggled to keep up her with her parents.

"No Rosie, you stay here with the others, it's too dangerous", Tom ordered, before he and wife ran out of the auditorium.

Of course, Rosie didn't stay there. All the girl did was wait until her parents had a nice lead on her, and start following them again from far behind.

And it was at that point, when they saw a little girl had the guts to go and see what was going on, that everyone else decided to join in the impromptu game of 'follow the leader'. In a matter of seconds, the City Hall's auditorium was cleared out completely, and mayor Sutherland was left all alone with only a microphone to keep him company.

**((()-()))**

Every dog had his day, and Steele knew he was no exception. The proud ex-sled dog had always knew his time of reckoning would come someday, just like everyone else's. But he had always thought he would go out in a blaze of glory, or some other heroic way, and not being shot to death by his own owner, who was somehow even more psychotic than him.

In a ballsy move that would impress even the most stoic of sled dogs, Billy and Ethan positioned themselves right in front of Steele, and deliberately blocked their father's line of fire. The two siblings had always loved Steele, not just as their father's prized dog, but as their pet. And as crazy as it sounded, they would rather die themselves than let their bullying father kill him.

"Dad no! Don't do this!", Billy pleaded.

"Get out of the way. You two are my only sons. So don't make me shoot you too", he warned, as he aimed the barrel of his gun at the terrified dog behind them.

"Go ahead and do it then. I'd rather be dead than have a bastard for a father like you", Ethan replied. From that moment on, whatever bond the boy used to have with his father was officially dead. In Ethan's eyes, Sam was beyond redemption.

Samuel of course was furious, and he raised the gun even higher. For one, horrifying moment, Billy and Steele thought that the man was actually going to shoot his own heir in cold blood. But instead he flipped the gun around, and stuck Ethan over the forehead with the riffle's butt, pistol-whipping him.

"NO!", Billy cried out, as his saw big brother go down and hit his head on the wooden floor, inflicting himself with yet another wound. But before Billy could try to come to his aid, he too was knocked out by his father's gun, and his body fell besides Ethan's.

Steele's blue eyes narrowed, as he witnessed what had to be the most shocking act of cruelty in his entire life. Steele had done plenty of bad things in his time, things that a lot of people would consider unredeemable. He cheated in races. He bullied his friends. He once beat a dog so badly he pissed himself in front of all his friends, and still kept hitting him. He almost raped a girl, the same girl he would go on to torment for three years. He nearly committed murder, several times. And worst of all, he almost committed genocide.

But not even he, the dog who's heart was supposedly cold as ice, could stand by and watch a father beat his own sons so mercilessly without feeling anything. The bond between a father and son was sacred. Something warm and innocent that was to be treasured and not abused. Steele understand Billy and Ethan wanting to see the best in their dad, just as he had with his father, even after he left him. So to see Sam take that trust and throw all it away just to get to him, made Steele angry enough to kill. He would cower no longer.

Just as Sam realized his old dog was growling at him, he felt Steele's teeth (razor sharp from years out on the tundra) dig into his hand, and rake through his skin. Sam's first reaction was to scream, and pull backwards in pain, causing him to release the trigger on his gun and fire a bullet right through a nearby wall. He desperately try to shake the malamute off, but it was to no avail. Finally, Sam waved his dog around, and slammed him into a nearby wall.

Steele groaned, and the malamute crumpled up as soon as he hit the ground. Normally he was a much better fighter than this, but he hadn't had a decent meal in days (Doc and Jared fed him three times a day, but those little morsels were nothing compared to the hero's feasts he was used to devouring all the time). Plus, he didn't have any time to get back up again before he was staring down the barrel of Sam's gun.

"You're going to wish you never made me a fool out of me. Say your prayers dog", the man growled, right before he was tackled to the ground. And this time, his canine assailant wasn't Steele.

"Bingo?", the malamute asked, as his half-wolf rival pinned Samuel to the ground.

Balto ignored him, and instead focused on surveying the damage Sam had caused in the little time he had before the man came to his senses. He had to know whether or not Billy and Ethan were fine, since he had heard a gun going off from down the street. To his relief, the two boys were still lying on the floor, unconscious and bleeding from their wounds, but otherwise they were still okay. Now it was time for Balto to do what he did best, help others.

"Hey Sam, catch me if you can!", the half-wolf taunted, before leaping off Sam's chest and running out the door. Even though he knew Sam couldn't understand him, he knew the man would still follow him. He was too drunk and too crazy not to.

Sure enough, Sam picked up his gun, and charged after the wolf-dog, allowing Steele a chance to go check on the boys.

**((()-()))**

"_**Locked On**_" by Murray Gold begins.

Samuel followed Balto down alleyway after alleyway, running across at least half of Nome, while shooting wildly at the hybrid the whole time. A lot of his shots didn't even come close, but one bullet did whiz between the half-breed's ears, reminding him that he couldn't outrun the madman forever. Luckily, he didn't have to.

Just when it seemed like the town hero had run out of steam, he ran around one last corner, and Sam found himself face to face with a crowd of humans. The group that had followed Balto from City Hall.

As soon as he realized what was happening, Marcus (with a seasoned officer's speed and precision) pulled his gun out of his pocket, and aimed at the drunken man. "Sam, put the gun down!", he ordered.

Standing behind Marcus, Eve pressed her daughter's face to her stomach, and covered her ears. She had a pretty good idea about what was gonna next, and she didn't want her little girl scarred by the bloody scene that was no doubt about to occur.

Instead of complying with the lawman (again, whiskey eliminated any and all kinds of common sense), Sam snarled and ignored the sheriff, focusing only on Balto. "You…you did this. This whole thing is you fault!", he screamed, as he prepared to pull the trigger on his gun, and shoot into the crowd.

As soon as Sam made his choice to commit murder, Mark no longer had a choice of his own. The sheriff's only option was to defend his people. Beating Sam to the punch, he released the trigger of his gun, and a bullet exploded out of the barrel.

Balto watched in amazement as it flew in slow motion, invisible to every eye in the crowd except his'. The lethal mixture of lead and metal was suspended in the air for a few short milliseconds, until it hit it's target, and struck Sam down. The man's shotgun hit the ground around the same time he did, and Samuel's blood oozed out onto the snow.

The crowd, not having any idea about what they had just saw, just stood frozen in place, horrified by the thought that they may have just witnessed a man's death. Except for little Rosie, who had thankfully been spared of the violence by her mother.

"Is he?", Gunnar asked, as Sheriff Marcus slowly approached the unmoving body.

"No, I only aimed for his leg", Mark replied. Not quite convinced, everyone inched closer to Sam (while the sheriff quickly scooped up and emptied his gun), and noticed that he wasn't lying completely still. The man's body was twitching erratically, but he was still being eerily quiet for someone who should have been in an agony. Apparently, the whiskey was acting as an anesthetic, and dulling the intense pain.

Marcus, along with the town butcher, Jim Avery, picked up the bleeding man and started to move him in the direction of the hospital. Before they could take him off to jail, they had to get that bullet out of his leg.

"But if he's here…where are his kids?!", Eve asked, alarmed, causing a great deal of panic from her peers and a mad dash to find the man's sons. Luckily, they had Balto to lead the way.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome's City Hall. 7:25 P.M. Thursday, February 5, 1925:**_

A few minutes later, everything had finally calmed down again, and everyone was back outside City Hall.

"So how are they doctor?", Tom asked, glancing over at Billy and Ethan who were busy giving their witness accounts to the sheriff.

"They're gonna be okay. They both have some serious cuts and bruises on their head, but I'm more worried about the wounds that have already been there for days", Dr. Welch replied, who had been the first one to examine the boys when Balto led the crowd to their unconscious bodies. As soon as they saw what Sam had done to his kids, everyone's worse fears were confirmed. "I think things would have gotten a lot worse if Balto hadn't led Sam away from them", the medical man added.

"Yeah, about that. How did he know what was going on? And how did he know where to find them?", Welch's assistant, Nurse Morgan, asked.

"Who cares? He saved them. And that's all that matters. He's a hero", Tom proudly proclaimed, rubbing his pet dog on the head.

"You can through for us again boy", Rosie added, giggling as the half-breed licked her on the face.

Gunnar, who was standing a few feet away, smiled warmly as he watched the family's bond with their dog. He really hated to break it up, but there was something he needed to say. "You hear that people? Balto just saved those boys' lives. So ask yourselves, do you still think he's a menace, or a hero?", the musher asked, raising his voice so the whole crowd could hear him. And of course, a rousing applause from the audience was what followed.

When he saw the way the crowd cheered, and the large smile on Gunnar's face as he recruited dozens of new people on his side all at once, Daniel scowled, and decided to put an end to Gunnar's speech as quickly as he could. "Alright, alright Mr. Kaasen, that's enough. I'll admit what went on tonight was very strange, but we still have a meeting to finish, so let's get back inside", he said, before pushing Gunnar in the direction of the marble stairs.

**((()-()))**

How could he lose…again? How could a plan that was seemingly flawless backfire on him twice in a row? Was it bad luck? Or was fate conspiring against him? Because just when it seemed like he had Balto right where he wanted him, the wolf-dog would have to go save a pair of innocent children and redeem himself in the peoples' eyes. Then again, maybe his plan had never really had a chance of working in the first place, and he had only been fooling himself. Maybe the people had already planned on voting for Balto to stay from the beginning.

Because not only was the majority of the vote on Balto's side, but the only people who voted against him was himself and his employees (excluding Sheriff Marcus, who was now on the side of team wolf-dog as well after his quick thinking to avert a crisis situation). So once all the cheering died down Daniel begrudgingly cleared the auditorium, and watched with fire in his eyes as Balto left with his permanent family. As his mortal enemy vanished through the doors, the scorned mayor couldn't help but wonder where he went wrong.

No matter what Daniel tried, whether it was cheap shots or underhanded tactics (basically everything a politician used to win an election), the half-breed's supporters just wouldn't give up on him. It seemed Balto was here to stay, whether Sutherland like it or not. Because if nature couldn't crush the hero's spirit, one man's prejudices sure wouldn't. Nome's very own beacon of hope was still standing tall and proud.

_**Author's Note:**_

Well, another big one down. It'll feel so good to write a filler chapter next time. The extra space will give me a chance to put focus on plot points and characters that have been pretty much ignored until now (Boris, Muk, and Luk have gone from recurring characters to rare cameos, to throw-away lines over the course of this trilogy). Also, Balto has been referred to as a beacon of hope for the past two chapters. I'm a huge Superman fan, and an even bigger "_**Smallville**_" fan, so I could resist the Man of Steel analogy (Balto started out as a lonely outcast with a crush on the girl next door, who would someday grow up to achieve greatness and inspire countless others to be the best they could be. Sound familiar?). As always, feel free to post your comments below, and let me know what you guys think.


	9. Chapter 9: Love and War

_**Author's Note:**_

If you're wondering why it took me so long to return to this conclusion, it's because for the weeks leading up to and following Thanksgiving, I decided to take a break from writing so I could focus on spending time with my family. Before you start getting all mad at me, keep in mind I've been writing like a maniac ever since summer break ended. First I finished "_**Erdan 2**_" before I leapt into "_**The Revenge and Redemption of Steele**_" (working around a hurricane to do it), and I didn't exactly have time to take a breather from that before I got the gears turning for "_**Salvation, Part 3**_". So yeah, I'd say I earned this holiday R&R. Besides, I would have posted this last week if the library wasn't closed that day (the first Saturday in December is the day my town's annual Christmas parade takes place, and the library staff always participates).

So what did I do during Thanksgiving? As usual, my family watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (I especially loved that Buddy the Elf number. I always loved that movie, and that number was hilariously corny. And Flo Rida wasn't that bad either), spoke aloud what they were thankful for, and feasted on a delicious turkey dinner at around noon (I know noon is nowhere near the usual time 'dinner' would take place, but it's a family tradition, so don't knock it). By the time the day was over my stomach was stuffed with turkey, cranberry sauce, and white cake (my own personal favorites). We decided to stay home the day after, which was actually a good thing, because that was the day Black Friday came with all it's insanity (if you've ever been inside a mall or a grocery store the day after Thanksgiving, you know what I'm talking about when I say you're lucky to get out in one piece).

I had a lot to be thankful for this year, including my friends. I'm writing this message as shout-out to Mojotheomegawolf, who reviewed the first few chapters this month, and WolfdogmeetstheLionKing, who's review I'm gladly looking forward to at the end of this story. As for that anonymous user who reviewed the last time I posted (I wish you had an account so I could thank you properly), let's not get ahead of ourselves buddy. It's called the Salvation _trilogy_ because there's only _three_ parts. There will be other "_**Heritage of the Wolf**_" fics after this, but dragging this particular fic out to a fourth part would just be crazy. No, everything that needs to be resolved will happen right here, right now at the end of Part 3. Besides, even if I wanted to write a Part 4, seeing as how long it took me to find the time to write this installment, Part 4 probably wouldn't be written for _another_ year. And there's no need to torture myself and everyone ese.

Like I said the last time I updated, Boris finally returns (because he has to. His son's getting married in a few days, and the old goose hasn't made in apperance in Part 3 yet. What's up with that?). But this chapter also drops another bomb on you guys, and it'll make you think back to something Dixie said in Part 2 (no one ever pays close attention to the throw-away lines). It'll change the way you look at Dixie, Sylvie, Blaze, and Grace forever (which I'm really excited about since they've only been minor, underdeveloped characters until now). I've been waiting a long time for this reveal (so don't think I've been putting off this update on purpose), and I hope you guys will enjoy it too.

_**Chapter 9: Love and War.**_

_**Nome, Alaska. 8:00 A.M. Friday, February 6, 1925:**_

"Are you sure this is a good idea?", Dixie asked.

"He may be a criminal, but he does care a lot about his boys. He even risked his own neck to save them, and he doesn't do that for anybody. So he deserves at least this, a chance to say good-bye to the only ones who ever believed in him", Doc replied, though Dixie still seemed weary.

It was the day after Sutherland's meeting, and all the excitement in Nome had finally calmed down to it's usual boring state. Well, almost boring. There was still something that was keeping the townspeople from going on about their usual routines. Billy and Ethan.

Their father Samuel had spent the night in the town lockup, where he would stay for the next few weeks until his trial. When his hang-over subsided, the sheriff was disgusted to find the man had no regrets whatsoever about the way he treated his children. In fact, he had nothing to say about it all. It was a pretty safe bet that even if by some miracle Sam actually won his trial, he still wouldn't see his two sons ever again. The people of Nome would make sure of that. It was the least they could do they make up for letting the two youths down.

Everyone felt tremendously guilty about what happened the previous night, and for a good reason. They were supposed to be a community. A tight-knit town full of people who watched out for each other. But they were all so busy targeting Balto they completely ignored all the signs of what was wrong with Sam's family. And if it hadn't been for Balto's actions that night, Billy and Ethan might have died at their father's hands. The townspeople had almost cast out the only person who had cared about the children's wellbeing, and that only added to their collective regret.

After Billy and Ethan were released from the hospital with only minor wounds, they were faced with a new dilemma, finding a new home. Besides their no-good dad, they were the last of the Edwards family, since they had no other living relatives, and thus nowhere else to stay. Luckily, one person decided to speak up and allow the children to room with him for as long as they wanted - Frank, the man who worked as a conductor at Nome's train station. He had welcomed them into his home with open arms, and the children didn't know what to make of the man's generosity. Sam had taken care of them, and given them a home to stay, but he had never been so kind to them, even before he started drinking. It seemed Balto had not only saved them, but gave them a chance at a new, better life. Something the wolf-dog had a habit of doing.

Now, the morning after the fiasco, nine dogs stood outside Frank's house, while the tenth inched his way across the street, under close scrutiny by his enemies. Balto, Jenna, Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Dixie, Sylvie, Doc, and Jared watched Steele carefully as the malamute padded up to Frank's door and started barking loudly to get the humans' attention.

Like Doc said, there was a real good chance Steele would be found guilty in his trial, and banished from Nome, Alaska forever, losing everything he ever cared about. And if that happened, he would never see his two boys again. The reason Doc and Jared had allowed Steele out of his 'cage' for the minute was because after his selfless actions the previous night, they felt he deserved a chance to say good-bye to Billy and Ethan before he left. However, they obviously didn't trust the canine crook not to run away, since nine dogs were guarding him from across the street, prepared to fight him again and subdue him in the slim chance he did anything desperate.

But for now, Steele seemed to be on his best behavior for once. In fact, he almost looked nervous when the door swung open, and three humans, one tall and two short, started to approach him.

"Steele! You found us!", Billy said, throwing himself at the dog immediately. His oldest brother Ethan was a bit slower, since he still had a throbbing headache from where that bastard, Samuel, had struck him over the forehead.

"Steele", he smiled, mustering up enough strength to rub the dog's head while his younger brother squeezed the malamute as tightly as he could.

"_**The Patient Centurion**_" by Murray Gold begins.

A few feet away, Balto and Jenna smiled, before the wolf-dog's mate lowered her head, and her happy expression vanished. "Balto, how could something like this happen to such nice kids? How could it go on this long?", the husky asked sadly.

"We were all so busy with our own troubles Jen, that we just weren't paying attention. We stopped caring about what happened to others, and we stopped watching out for each other. We all forgot what it meant to be a community…a pack", Balto said heavy-heartedly.

"But surely someone must have noticed Sam's behavior, or the kids' bruises?", Jenna insisted.

"Someone probably did, but they just did what the people here do best, turned a blind eye. And because of that these poor kids' suffering got a lot worse. Remember what Doc told us the first time I went to the Mill? Sometimes you _have_ to step in and get involved, or things like this can happen. Ignorance isn't always bliss. Sometimes it causes nothing but pain in the long run", Balto replied quietly.

"And they call you wolves monsters", Kaltag said darkly.

"I'm just glad I found out about it in time. Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't", Balto continued, his voice trailing off.

Doc placed his paw on the wolf-dog's shoulder. "Balto, you _did_ save them. You did exactly what you said you would do two nights ago. You stood up for the people and you fought injustice", the Saint Bernard reminded him.

"Yeah, just like a superhero", Star added in.

"I wouldn't say that Star. But you did prove yourself to be the leader everything thinks you are Balto. You're always doubting yourself, but you've faced all kinds of messed-up stuff and you beat all of it. After everything you've done these past few days, you've earned all our respect back…lead dog", Nikki said, grinning.

"And maybe someday others will start to follow your example bro. You were there last night when Steele tried to fight off Sam to save those kids. And if a selfish glory hound like him can do what's right, anyone can", Jared added.

Balto cracked a smile, and nodded his head in reply, before he realized they had all taken their eyes off Steele to talk to him. Luckily, the malamute hadn't moved at all in the past thirty seconds (not that he had any intentions of doing so), and after letting the children pet him and rub his fur (something that would have normally been completely undignified), the malamute decided it was time for him to get back to his jailers. As much as it pained him, the sled dog backed away from the boys. He glanced back at Doc and Jared across the street, and the two siblings understood what was happening immediately.

"You're not staying, are you?", Billy asked. Steele barked sadly, and the boy took that as a no. Billy sighed, and got down on his knees so he could speak to the dog face-to-face. "I can understand you wanting to leave after what happened boy, but wherever you're going, take care of yourself, okay?", Billy requested.

Steele barked, and let the boy rub his ears one last time before Billy backed away. His brother Ethan was next. "I hope you'll find another owner Steele. Someone who could take better care of you than dad…I mean Sam, did", Ethan said, correcting himself. And though he wasn't quite as affectionate or as teary-eyed as his younger bro had been, Ethan still patted Steele on the head before joining Billy and Frank at the door.

When Frank called them back inside, it killed them to push the wooden barrier shut, but they knew it had to be done. They couldn't take care of their prized dog anymore, and after his failure in the serum run, all the other humans wanted nothing to do with him. Even though they knew about dog society or Steele's upcoming trial, anyone could guess Steele was leaving town for good this time to start over somewhere else, somewhere he could find a new family, and a new home, and a new job. Somewhere he belonged.

When Steele used to taunt Balto all the time, he always said there wasn't enough room for him and the wolf-dog in Nome, and one of them was going to have to leave eventually. Now that time had come. Nome, Alaska was Balto's home now, not his. But instead of being angry with the half-breed for 'stealing' his life from him, or wishing he would go to hell like he always did, Steele was strangely silent and reserved as he walked back across the street. He surprised everyone by returning to captivity so willingly for someone who was supposed to be a genocidal maniac.

He was perfectly quiet as Doc and Jared flanked him both sides, and told him to follow him back to his new prison. Another abandoned building, since the last one had a big gaping hole in the entrance where the door used to be. But as he was walking past his old friends and enemies, thinking who-knows-what to himself, the malamute paused for a few seconds, and glanced at Balto. The wolf-dog didn't know what to expect when Steele opened his mouth, but he certainly hadn't been anticipating the sled dog's next few words. "Thank you wolf-dog", he said quietly, before turning around and following Doc down the street, leaving seven stunned dogs and wolf-dogs behind him.

For a few seconds, no one knew what to do say or do, or even what to make of Steele's impossible act. But eventually, Balto decided to break the awkward silence. "Come on Star, let's go", he said, before walking off and beckoning for the smaller husky to follow him.

"Go where?", Star asked. Though he was hesitant and nervous as usual about Balto's motives, he still followed the half-breed's request and trailed him from close behind.

"The trawler. I promised you I'd teach you a few things about self-defense, and I broke that promise. But since it looks like I'm gonna be here to stay, I might as well make good on my word", the wolf-dog replied, grinning as he heard Star's excited bark behind him.

As expected, Jenna and his other friends weren't far behind him. But while Jenna, Nikki, and Kaltag seemed curious about what Balto and Star were up to, Dixie and Sylvie still hadn't moved from where they were standing. But before anyone could ask them about it, the show dogs beat them to the punch.

"You guys go ahead. Dix and I have something we need to do", Sylvie shouted.

Her and Dixie had just spotted someone sitting across the street, holding their head down in a feeble attempt to hide their tears, and they felt they needed to go check it out. Grace looked like she could really use some company right now.

It had been a long time since Dixie had saw one of her oldest girlfriends cry, and she had a pretty good idea what it was about when her and Sylvie approached the husky. "Gracie? What did Blaze do this time? Is it this because of the fire water thing?!", she asked, scowling.

"How-?", Grace choked.

"How did I know? Who else could reduce you to tears like these? Why do you keep giving that creep second chances?", Sylvie asked, concerned.

"I don't know", Grace sniffled.

"Grace, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You deserve better than this. Better than him. There's a guy out there meant for you, but you'll never find him if you keep playing this on-and-off again game with Blaze for the rest of your life", Dixie reasoned, bending over so she could rub the sad dog's shoulder. Even though her and Grace had had their arguments in the past, Dixie really did care about her friend just like she did Jenna, and it killed her to see her all broken up like this over a man. She knew how much the pain hurt. It reminded her of the heartbreak Steele had dealt her only a few days before. But she managed to move past that, and forget that overconfident blowhard. Grace however, obviously needed some help when it came to letting go.

"What do you want me to do?", Grace asked.

"You have to end this Grace, permanently this time. No more second chances", Sylvie said firmly.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 8:30 A.M. Friday, February 6, 1925:**_

"I have to admit Star, you are getting better fast", Kaltag said reluctantly, as he watched how the little husky struggled to keep up with his lead dog's movements. Kaltag now had a greater understanding of why he and his teammates had never been able to kick Balto's tail during their three year stint as bad guys, even when it was four against one. They would never have stood a chance against him. Sure, they were all tough bruisers (well, except for Star), but when it came to split-second agility they were almost as slow as slugs compared to the wolf-dog.

Balto and his friends had spent the past hour in front of his trawler, teaching Star how to defend himself. If he had been learning from any old average Joe, they would have probably told him fighting was all about how hard you hit someone or how good your aim was. But Balto, having been in more than a few scrapes in his lifetime (usually not by his choice), knew better.

To Star's surprise, the best offense in fighting _was_ a good defense. Now he understood why wolves were such better hunters than dogs. Because they had had thousands of years to work out a better technique than just attacking their opponent. A wolf fought a battle like a human would play a game a chess, by using their wits.

Balto moved fast, diving and dodging left and right, up and down, over and under. At first, Nikki and Kaltag weren't sure what the half-breed was teaching their buddy. He never threw a bunch or made his move, he just kept moving. In fact, for a few moments it looked more like running away than it did fighting. Until they realized that Balto was moving all over the place so much that he had tired out Star only a few minutes after they had started. And once he stopped to catch his breath, Balto made his move, thrusting his paw out at him and stopping short only a few inches away from Star's face. Of course, Balto would never really hurt his friends, and had only pretended to do so to make a point, but Star knew that in a real fight he'd have a black eye (or two) by now.

But now that he got the technique down, Star was slowly beginning to make progress. He was beginning to understand what Balto was teaching him. Instead of focusing all his energy on blinding biting and snapping everywhere, he should try to study his opponent's moves and figure out their fighting style so he could try to understand where they'd move next. Finally, when he had a fairly good idea about the way Balto moved, Star moved to the right, but then thrust his fist down to the right, and to his (and everyone else's) surprise, it struck something solid - Balto's ribs.

The wolf-dog groaned and stopped moving to rub his side, while a stunned Star took in the fact he had actually managed to make contact. "I did it!", he said excitedly, his grin only lasting a few seconds before he realized what he had done. They were only pretend fighting, and he had actually hit Balto in the ribcage…hard. "Balto, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that", he said quickly.

"It's alright Star. You didn't hit me that hard and the pain's fading already. Besides, at least you're making progress", Balto said, before straightening his stance. "Alright, let's start again. And this time, go easy on me, okay?", the half-breed joked, restoring the friends' light exchange once more.

**((()-()))**

_**The Old Mill. 8:45 A.M. Friday, February 6, 1925:**_

Inside the Old Mill, the newly disgraced Blaze and his gang were deep in thought. The scorned dogs were in the middle of planning _another_ retaliation attack against Balto, when Blaze's ears pricked up. The arrogant young husky glanced to his right, and saw his girlfriend walk into the room with a neutral, reserved look on her face, followed closely by Dixie and Sylvie.

"Grace? Why are you here? And what you doing here with _them_?", Blaze sneered, glaring at the show dogs behind Grace. However, Dixie and Sylvie paid him no attention, focusing only on Grace as the female husky took a deep breath.

"Blaze, I'm leaving you", she said finally.

"What?", he asked, eyes widening.

"For good this time. There will be no second chances", she continued, repeating what Sylvie told her earlier.

"But Grace, why?", he started, before Grace raised a paw to stop him.

"Oh don't give me that confused act Blaze, you've used it one too many times now. You know perfectly well why this has to end. I'm not gonna be your trophy girlfriend, someone you says you love but keeps at arm's length, never paying them the slightest bit of attention. I don't have to put up with that, and I won't any longer", Grace said, her voice firmer now.

Blaze frowned, his brows furrowing, before his eyes shifted to the dogs behind her. They narrowed into slits, and he glanced back at Grace. "Is this because of them? Did they talk you into doing this?", he asked angrily.

"The only thing they _did_ was speed up the inevitable. And I can't thank them enough for that", she replied, laughing oddly, as if she couldn't be happier about what she was doing.

"Don't you see what they're doing Grace? They're on Balto's side! These…these _lobo lovers_ are just trying to split us apart to get to me. That half-breed freak probably put them up to it to try and humiliate me more", Blaze snapped. And as soon as those heated words left his mouth, he knew he had stupidly let his temper get the better of him again, and made the situation a thousand times worse.

Grace stared, speechless for what seemed like a minute, while Dixie and Sylvie glared disgustedly at him. Finally, after the shock of what she just heard wore off, she managed to get her vocal cords working again, to unleash the wrath that had been building up in her since she first walked in. Blaze flinched, as he saw the furious expression on his ex-girlfriend's face.

"You wanna know why I'm leaving you Blaze? THIS IS WHY I'M LEAVING YOU! Your crazy obsession with Balto! It's like everything in the world revolves around you and him! Balto can't do anything without it being some diabolical plan to get to _you_! I can't break up with you without it meaning that I'm being used by him! God, you're even more demented than Steele!", she screamed, right before she felt Blaze's paw crushing her arm in rage. "LET GO OF ME!", she bellowed, recoiling from Blaze's touch as his vice grip cut off the flow of blood in her limb.

"Let her go!", Dixie shouted, rushing to Grace's aid with bared teeth. Sylvie wasn't far behind her, and even Blaze's pals seemed concerned by how far this argument was going now.

Blaze ignored everyone else staring at them (which now included everyone in the Old Mill) and snarled solely at Dixie. At first, when he saw the much smaller dog wasn't going to back down, his fury only grew. But then he realized he was contemplating attacking a female. One of the worst things a male dog could do.

Dixie and Grace were right. He was out of control. Grace had said something he didn't want hear, and he had reacted to it, or rather, overreacted. He was so wrapped around Steele's little finger that he was willing to snap at someone if they even had the gall to insult the malamute, even his own girlfriend. When he saw the look of anger and terror in Grace's eyes, he was so ashamed. He quickly released Grace from his grip, and she backed away immediately. "Grace, you have to know that I'd never hurt you. Not you of all people", he said apologetically.

"Save it you psychopath. We're through, and nothing you can say or do will ever change that", Grace spat, before she turned around and stormed off. Dixie and Sylvie, instead following her immediately, glared death at Blaze for a few more minutes, before turning around and following Grace out the door.

"_Grace_", Blaze whispered futilely, ignoring the stares of every male and female dog in the Mill, including those of his friends.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 9:00 A.M. Friday, February 6, 1925:**_

While Blaze was suffering through the worst moment of his life, Balto was on another unbelievable high. After worrying and despairing so much these past few days, it was like an enormous burden had been lifted off Balto's shoulders. Now that he knew he was going to stay in Nome, he could focus on what should have been his primary concern in the first place, his commitment to Jenna. In fact, the reason he had suggested Star's lessons take place outside of the trawler was so he could visit Boris and tell him something he had been meaning to ask him for a while now. While Star took a much-needed break, Balto sat down with his goose father and informed him on everything that had took place in the past two days.

"So the wedding's been rescheduled. It's next Saturday until of this Sunday", Balto explained.

"Are you're positively sure you want to go with this boychic? You're not going to get cold feet, are you?", Boris asked cautiously.

"For a while I did. But Jenna reminded me why I proposed in the first place. There's nothing I want more in the world than for us to be bonded forever", Balto said decisively.

Boris smiled. "I'm so proud of you. My son is getting married", he said, hugging the wolf-dog around the chest.

Balto chuckled, and rubbed his father's back. "About the wedding. There's something I've been meaning to ask you, that's one of the reasons I'm here", the wolf-dog confessed.

"Ask away", Boris replied, grinning up at the half-breed.

"Dixie is Jenna's maid of honor, and Kaltag is going to give her away at the ceremony. But we need a best man. _I_ need a best man", Balto explained, correcting himself. "Will you be my best man Boris?", the wolf-dog asked hopefully.

Boris laughed, and threw his head back. "Balto, do you even have to ask?", he replied, to his son's joy.

And so another hurdle had been overcome, and this one was one that had been long overdue. Like Balto had said, the wedding was definitely still on (thanks to the bride-to-be), and approaching fast. There was only one thing left that needed to be taken care of - Steele's trial.

**((()-()))**

_**The Old Mill. 9:00 P.M. Friday, February 6, 1925:**_

Late that night, Blaze and his team still hadn't moved from their spot in the Old Mill, even when everyone else had already went home. Instead of trying follow Grace and desperately win her love back, Blaze resolved to stay where he was and keep working on his plan to get rid of Balto. He had more incentive to continue now than ever. It turned out the solution had been right in front of him the whole time, and simpler than he could ever had expected. And he was just finishing pitching it to his horrified friends. "So guys, are you in?", he asked, grinning wickedly.

"Blaze, this is crazy. We can't kill the guy, that'd be murder. Besides, Doc would have our heads", Zeke reasoned.

"We'd never be able to come back to Nome again, just like Devil guy a few years back", Mark added.

"They've got a point Blaze. What you're suggesting is stepping _way_ too far over the line", Derek said, putting his paw on Blaze's shoulder, right before the other dog threw it off.

"I don't care what it takes, or what we have to do, but we're gonna make sure Balto never testifies! I won't let that smug little bastard get away with everything he's done. If Steele's willing to go down just to take him out, so should we! And if you guys were really as dedicated to this cause as I was, you wouldn't be arguing with me. I thought you of all people would understand that DEREK!", Blaze snapped.

"Wow, you don't handle being dumped well, do you?", said someone who was neither Derek, Zeke, or Mark.

Blaze already knew who the voice belonged to long before his pals did, so he immediately turned around to snarl at Dixie. He stood up, and ran over to get right in the show dog's face, seething with rage. "You! How dare you show your face here again after what you talked Grace into doing?!", he growled.

Dixie didn't flinch at all, but instead raised her eyebrow. "Wow, you might be bad at break-ups, but your demented little mind is great at your blaming other people for you problems, isn't it?", she whistled, pretending to be impressed.

"Why are you here?!", he demanded.

"I knew you would try to pull a crazy stunt like this. You have too much pride not to. I bet it ate you up alive when Balto got the best of you. You probably hated yourself for letting yourself be outsmarted by a wild beast. And when Grace broke up with you this morning, it was like adding wood to the fire. So naturally, instead of accepting you screwed-up, the first thing you decided to do was blame Balto. Because you could, right? So of course you came up with some crazy plan to kill him and win the girl back, showing her the error of her ways? Classic Steele ploy. Then again, why not take a page from your idol?", Dixie mused.

"I said, why are you _here_?!", Blaze repeated, already losing his paper-thin patience.

"I'm here to stop you. I know what you're up to. You think that if you kill Balto and Jenna, they can't testify. And if they can't testify, there won't be sufficient enough evidence to convict Steele two days from now. But like your friend said, what you're planning to do is insane, and I won't let you go through with it", Dixie replied coldly.

Blaze snorted, while his friends eyed each other nervously behind him. "Stop me? And how are you gonna do that _show dog_?", he asked sarcastically.

What happened next surprised them all. Dixie exactly had the audacity to smirk smugly at the husky, causing Blaze to stare at her incredulously, as if she knew something they did. Something _vital_. And instead of answering his question, Dixie seemed to change the subject entirely. "You know how Grace thought you were cheating on her last month, with me? I told her she was being ridiculous and paranoid. But deep down, I knew I was lying. I was just protecting her from the truth. You _did_ cheat on her. But it's been going on for a lot longer than a month, and it hasn't been with me", the show dog accused.

"You'll say anything to discredit me, lobo lover", Blaze growled.

"Please, I wouldn't my waste my time spreading lies about a slime ball like you. No, the proof was all over your fur. Grace said that you smelled of sex that night, but it wasn't my scent. You had been careful to leave no traces of what you and your mate had been up to. I was just unfortunate enough to run into you after you did the deed. Even if someone did suspect you were cheating on Grace, they would never be able to guess who in this entire town of dogs. Unless they knew what I did", Dixie continued, before walking up to Blaze, and standing on the edge of her feet so she could speak face-to-face with the dog.

"It was Derek, wasn't it?", she guessed.

And just like that, the entire energy of the room changed. The golden warmth that had filled the Old Mill that night vanished, replaced by a cold, tense energy that Dixie knew was radiating off of Blaze and his gang as they took in what she had just said. "What?", he asked, teeth clenched.

"I'm saying that all this time that Grace thought I was your secret lover, it was really your best buddy over there you've been sucking face with. Of course, I suppose you two have always been more than buddies", Dixie continued, raising her eyebrow.

The show dog continued to watch Blaze carefully, with wrought attention, as the expressions of his face changed rapidly. She didn't need to be a mind reader to guess what kind of different emotions were blurring by in Blaze's head, shock, nervousness, fear, anger, and of course, the infamous denial, with finally led to him composing his face again, and trying to act like nothing she had just said had affected him.

"You're crazy bitch. Did you actually just accuse me of being a faggot?", he scoffed.

"Blaze, don't be so derogatory. After all, you are referring to yourself and your teammate", Dixie reminded him, and as she expected, this only succeeded in making Blaze angrier.

"We ask you to give us answers, and instead you accuse us of being…abominations. What gives you the right to slander us like that?!", he growled.

"Oh Blaze, don't try to play the self-righteous religious card, not after you just got through talking about killing somebody. Besides, you can't try to convince me I'm wrong, not after I saw you two making out two years ago", Dixie replied, unfazed. That shocked look returned to Blaze's face, and his boys didn't look that much better. Dixie knew this was the turning point in their argument. There was no denying the truth now, and no turning back. She figured that a further explanation was in order.

"Two years ago, Grace and I were talking. She was complaining to me that you spend more time with Steele and Derek than you did with her, so I decided to follow you one day and see what you boys were doing that was so busy that you had to put your girlfriend on the backburner. And boy, did I get the shock of my life. I didn't know what you were playing at, just that your team was helping you cover it up. I couldn't figure out whether you actually loved Grace, or you were just using her as a front. But either way, I didn't tell her. Everyone thinks I'm a gossip hound who likes to ruin people's reputations, but I care a lot about my friends. Telling Grace would have broke her heart, and I always figured that one day you'd do the right thing and tell her yourself. And there were so many times I had to sit by and watch you torment my friends when I knew I had the ultimate leverage against you, but I loved Grace too much to ever use it. But now I see you'll never do the right thing. You're too much like Steele to even know what the word honor means", Dixie said disgustedly.

When the shock wore off, Blaze snarled, and advanced on the little show dog. "Are you threatening me?!", he asked menacingly, though again, his fury didn't seem to have any effect on his soon-to-be victim.

"You've picked up more than a few tactics from Steele over the years. Fear and intimidation are only two of them. You like to rile up a crowd, and use their fear and blind loyalty to your advantage. But if they knew who you really were, all that would change in a second. I really couldn't care less if you're gay, but would the town really care about a wolf-dog anymore, if they knew one of their own purebreds was a sodomite?", Dixie challenged.

Blaze laughed, and then growled right in Dixie's face. "So that was _your_ plan, huh? You were just gonna come in here and blackmail me into submission? Well there's just one problem with that girly. You can't tell anyone anything if you're dead and buried", Blaze whispered menacingly.

"I thought you and your gang would say that. You guys will do anything to protect your leader, huh?", she asked rhetorically, glancing around Blaze's head so she could get a good look at his followers. "But really guys? Do you really think I would be stupid enough to come here without a back-up plan? I told Sylvie all about this, and if anything should happen to me, she'll tell Doc and Jared. Not only will the whole town will know your secret, but the punishment you'll get for killing for me will be a _whole_ lot worse than the one dealt to Steele, whatever that may be", Dixie grinned.

"Then we'll just kill her too", Blaze said, though it sounded like less of a threat and more of a promise.

"But how do you know Sylvie and I haven't told some unknown third person as well? Someone who'll, right after our demise, carry on the job Sylvie never got to do?", Dixie countered. When Blaze didn't answer, only huffing and puffing rapidly, Dixie knew she had him right where she wanted him. Balto had proved a few nights ago, Blaze was terrible under pressure, and even worse with mind games. "There's no way out of this Blaze. And there's no way you and Derek can save yourselves, unless you do what I say", the show dog growled, her grin disappearing in a heartbeat. She knew Blaze would comply before he did, he had no free will in the matter.

"What do you want?!", Blaze snapped.

"Like I told you before, I care a lot about my friends. Which is I want you, your boyfriend, and your goons to leave them alone and mind your own business. You are not going anywhere near Balto and Jenna before Steele's trial, and if you so much as talk to Grace again, I'll tell her the real reason you could never commit to her", Dixie ordered.

Blaze stared, that incredulous look on his face returning for a few moments, before he chuckled, which then exploded into a full blown laugh. "Look at you, one of the pure and virtuous lobo's best friends so eager to blackmail me. What would Balto and Jenna think if they knew were you doing this?", he challenged.

"What would Grace and the others think if they knew you and Derek share more than a harness together on long nights in the tundra?", Dixie replied. "We all have secrets Blaze, and not everyone can be as good to the core as Balto. But at least I'm doing this to protect my friends instead of hurting them. You know the old saying Blaze, all's fair in love and war. And right now, I'd say you and I are in the middle of both", the show dog said, before extending her small, incredibly fragile paw. "So do we have an understanding?", she asked.

Blaze didn't reply, but Dixie knew he wasn't worried. Before he shook her hand, the arrogant dog obviously wanted to get the last word in. "If you so much as breath a word about this to anyone, I swear I will destroy you", he promised.

"And destroy yourself as well", Dixie added, unworried, as the husky shook her paw. When he was done (resisting the oh-so-tempting thought of crushing the midget dog's paw), Dixie cleared her throat and held her head up high. "Well boys, it was good doing business with you", she said, before turning around and walking away. But just as she reached the front door, Blaze stopped her again, calling after her. "Hey bitch!", he shouted.

"Yeah?", she asked, glancing behind her.

"You don't know anything about me or Derek, or Grace. I wasn't using Grace as a front. I actually did like her. But you'll never understand that. And don't think you've won either. Like you said, all's fair in love and war. Someday I will find a way out of this, and when I do you and your friends had better watch your backs!", he snarled.

Dixie rolled her eyes, and like always, ignored his threats. "_Always has to get the last word in_", she thought, as she walked through the Old Mill's door, and left a gang of steamed, vengeful dogs behind her. Now that Dixie's work was done, she had hopefully ensured that Steele's trial would go on without a hitch, and her friends could get on with their lives again. The gossip hound had just completed one of her many thankless jobs.

_**Author's Notes:**_

Well guys, don't hold back. And don't just sit in your chairs, staring blankly at the screen either. I know you want to skip right ahead to the next chapter, but could you let me know what you all think first?


	10. Chapter 10: Judgment Day

_**Chapter 10: Judgment Day (Steele's Trial).**_

_**Nome's City Hall. 7:30 P.M. Thursday, February 5, 1925:**_

_The auditorium in City Hall was packed with people and dogs from all over town. The citizens of Nome were all understandably tense as they prepared to pass judgment on the one person, or rather dog, who had been their savior in their darkest hour. And said dog was just as nervous as his owners as Mayor Sutherland finally decided to cut out the chatter and skip right to the important part of his meeting._

"_Well, now that the excitement's all over, and Samuel's been incarcerated, let's get down to the nitty gritty. I could spend this whole night talking about the preliminaries or giving speeches about how hard it is for me to do this, but that would just be putting off the inevitable. So…for everyone here who wants Balto to leave Nome, raise your hands", Daniel announced._

_Hands from all over the room flew up, limbs that belonged to people of all shapes and sizes. It took Daniel and his secretary a while to count them all, but eventually the total number was written down. When he saw the exact sum that his secretary had written down on her notepad, Daniel looked up nervously at the crowd. Things didn't look good. Still, there were still two questions left and the final vote wasn't done yet, so he tried not to worry as he reluctantly continued. _

"_And all those who vote for Balto to remain a legal citizen of Nome, pet of Mr. and Mrs. Jones, and leader of Mr. Kaasen's sled dog team?", he asked. _

_As he had (unfortunately) predicted, the majority of the crowd responded immediately, dozens of hands shooting upwards in the blink of an eye. This was no doubt the moment they had all been waiting for, and the moment he had been dreading, as his secretary handed him the total count of votes for the second question. There was no doubt about how this meeting would end now. And there was nothing he could do to change the outcome. His decision that the people's choice, whatever it may be, would be final now came back to haunt him, as he glared right at the wolf-dog sitting between Tom and Eve's feet. Still, as much as he wanted to, he couldn't just stop the meeting to strangle the wolf-dog he so despised. And the mayor was supposed to seem impartial, and not reveal any kind of bias towards anyone on trial, even if that person was a wild dog, so all he could do was compose his face and keep on going with the (now hopeless) meeting. _

"_And all those who are undecided?", he asked, his voice so low the microphone sitting in front of him just barely picked it up. This time he didn't even need his secretary's help to count the hands, the number was so small. It was over. It was all over. His one chance at getting rid of Balto, destroyed, all because of one fortunate good deed. _

_The mayor swallowed the bile rising in his throat, and put on the best neutral voice he could, as he pretended to add up the numbers in his head. For a moment, he thought about lying. Flipping the number of votes around to suit his purpose. But not only was that idea morally wrong, but it was just plain stupid. If the vote had been a bit more equal, like say 40 to 60, then maybe his plan would work. But any simpleminded fool who couldn't even spell his own name would have been able to guess the outcome of this lopsided vote. Pretending it was anything otherwise would cause a public outcry, that would no doubt end in him losing his job and align even more with the so-called victimized wolf-dog. No, Daniel was going do this strictly and fairly, no matter how much it killed him. _

_When his pretense of counting finally passed (the moment seemed to last for minutes inside his head, but in reality it had only been a few seconds), he cleared his throat and placed the notepad on the podium, drawing out the inevitable for a few more, agonizing seconds. He placed his hands on the podium as well, though unseen by everyone but his secretary, when he was drawing up his fingers he was really clawing away at the wood like a rabid cat. _

"_Well everyone, it appears the crowd has spoken. You all obviously know what you want, because the final vote is this. Those of you who wanted Balto to leave amounted to fifteen people, those of you who wanted Balto to stay amounted to eighty-six, and those of you who were still undecided only amounted to seven people. It's official. Balto is now a permanent member of Nome, Alaska, and nothing can ever change that except for the decision of the dog or his owners", Daniel announced, though he couldn't help the tiny bit of venom that leaked out into his voice, not going unnoticed by the Jones or Gunnar. Not that they cared. They were too busy celebrating like almost everyone else in the auditorium, as the room erupted into cheer. _

_Dogs and humans alike surrounded Balto and his family, as the Jones clan embraced. Balto and Jenna kissed, out of both joy and relief. They weren't going to be forced to part or move to the desert after all. Though you could have fooled Balto. The wolf-dog himself had thought he didn't have a chance, and that this would be his last night in Nome. But the people of Nome had stood by him, in a way they never had before. Yeah sure, there were still a few who thought the wolf didn't belong in a town of humans dogs, but the majority had proved Steele wrong. The love and the gratitude that Nome's citizens felt towards him was so strong that not even Steele's and Daniel's and Blaze's attempts to ruin him could destroy their new loyalty to the wolf-dog. For the first time in a long time, the people of Nome had proved they could not only denounce outsiders, but accept them as well. In their eyes, Balto had more earned his place in Nome, and their half-wolf savior would be sticking around for a long, long time._

_Daniel on the other hand, was shattered. How could he lose…again? How could a plan that was seemingly flawless backfire on him twice in a row? Was it bad luck? Or was fate conspiring against him? Because just when it seemed like he had Balto right where he wanted him, the wolf-dog would have to go save a pair of innocent children and redeem himself in the peoples' eyes. Then again, maybe his plan had never really had a chance of working in the first place, and he had only been fooling himself. Maybe the people had already planned on voting for Balto to stay from the beginning._

_Because not only was the majority of the vote on Balto's side, but the only people who voted against him was himself and his employees (excluding Sheriff Marcus, who was now on the side of team wolf-dog as well after his quick thinking to avert a crisis situation). So once all the cheering died down Daniel begrudgingly cleared the auditorium, and watched with fire in his eyes as Balto left with his permanent family. As his mortal enemy vanished through the doors, the scorned mayor couldn't help but wonder where he went wrong. _

_No matter what Daniel tried, whether it was cheap shots or underhanded tactics (basically everything a politician used to win an election), the half-breed's supporters just wouldn't give up on him. It seemed Balto was here to stay, whether Sutherland like it or not. Because if nature couldn't crush the hero's spirit, one man's prejudices sure wouldn't. Nome's very own beacon of hope was still standing tall and proud._

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 6:15 A.M. Sunday, February 8, 1925:**_

Balto's eyes slowly opened, and the wolf-dog yawned, rolling over to his side. Once he saw that his mate was awake as well, and grinning at him, it didn't take long to guess she had been watching him in his sleep again, like he often did when their situation was reversed. "Good morning love", he smiled, sitting up so he could kiss her on the forehead. "Enjoy the show?", he joked.

"You looked so peaceful, like you have been for the past few days now", Jenna noted.

"That's because I haven't had that much to worry about since the meeting. In fact, that's what I was dreaming about", Balto explained, stretching his legs. "I still can't believe we won Jenna", he said.

"Yeah, I can't either", she admitted.

After that, Balto was quiet for a little while, thinking to himself. Although he certainly appreciated the warmth that Rosie's bedroom provided (especially compared to cold nights sleeping in the trawler), today Balto barely paid it any attention. Today was the day of Steele's trial, and naturally the wolf-dog was feeling introspective. That was probably why he dreamed about events that had only happened a few days before.

Balto had always thought that if there was ever a chance of Steele being banished from Nome, he would enjoy every minute of it. But instead of vindictively looking forward to Steele's fate, Balto almost wished that things hadn't come to this. Because these past few days, the half-breed had begun to understand Steele more than ever before.

The way humans defied everyone's expectations and stood by their hero was amazing. It was the kind of faith and loyalty that every sled dog wished they could have from their peers, but the kind so few ever found. Balto could understand now why Steele was so jealous of him. He had a fiancée, he had friends (real friends who actually liked him instead of just kissing up to him for their own self-perseveration), and belonged to a town that had so much faith in him they were willing to allow a half-wolf to live among them. It was the kind of life that Steele maybe would have achieved if he had focused on doing his job instead of trying to rule the town with fear and intimidation. And even though the malamute was a selfish sociopathic maniac, Balto actually felt the tiniest bit of sympathy for him. Though he doubted anyone else besides himself felt the same way.

"Jenna, what time is it?", he asked. Judging by the beams of light flowing in through the window, the sun was rising, so it had to be close to breakfast by now. Not that Balto could focus on food at the moment.

The rust and cream colored husky look up at the clock on Rosie's wall, and squinted as she read the tiny Roman Numerals. "It's a quarter past six", she replied.

"Then it's almost time", he muttered, right before he felt a paw on his shoulder.

"Balto, are you sure you're okay with this?", she asked, worried.

"I guess. I know this is Steele we're talking about, and I should be glad he's about to face a jury. But…Jenna, I'm about to have a hand in sealing someone else's fate. Helping to decide whether or not Steele lives or gets cast out is like playing god or something. What gives me the right to do that? How can I live with that on my conscience?", he asked.

"Balto, I can understand you feeling guilty about this. The first time I was part of a canine jury, I felt the same way. But like you said, part of being a citizen includes taking the good with the bad. We all do our part to make sure justice is served. Besides, I don't consider what you're about to do immoral. To the contrary, this guilt you're feeling right now reminds me that every time I think I know you, you're full of even more surprises", she said reassuringly.

"What do you mean?", Balto asked.

"Balto, you and Steele have been at each other's throats for years. I've seen the fights you two have gotten into and some of them were pretty brutal, but you always end up doing the right thing in the end. You always rush to Steele's rescue, and you always spare his life whenever you have the choice to end it. And now you're feeling guilty about something you've been dreaming about since you were a kid. The fact that you care so much about what happens to a dog who wouldn't think twice about killing you proves that I made the right in choice in accepting your proposal. There's no such thing as perfect person, but you're as close as any person can get", she replied, nuzzling his neck.

Balto smiled (though he was obviously still troubled), and nuzzled her back. "Thanks for the words of encouragement Jen, but I still don't feel quite right about this", he admitted.

Jenna lifted her head, and raised her eyebrow. "Why do you care so much about what happens to Steele anyway? I thought you would hate him as much as he hates you?", she asked (in a curious kind of way, not a malicious one).

"I don't hate him Jenna, I just hate the things he's done. I don't know, it just I've always felt like I could have helped him. That I could have somehow talked some sense into him and prevented all this from happening. But he was just too stubborn. This is gonna sound weird, but even though we were rivals I've always had this kind of _connection_ with Steele that I can't explain. Not in a lover kind of way, but this kind of brotherly bond. It's even stronger now that I've found he lost his parents like I lost mine", Balto explained, but even though he was choosing his words as carefully as he could, Jenna was still confused by what he was trying to say.

"Imagine that, me being protective a guy who hates my guts. But no matter how weird and inexplicable it was, I always felt like Steele was my responsibility. When I looked at him, I didn't just see hatred and evil, but potential. Potential for us to one day be allies instead of enemies. And that's why I've always tried so hard to help him. But he was too hell-bent on destroying me to keep from destroying himself", Balto mused.

He glanced at Jenna, who looked like she was about to say something, when he cut her off. "Before you tell me that it wasn't my fault Jen, I know I can't save everyone, but how can I listen to everyone call me a hero everyday when I failed to help the one person who needed it the most?", Balto asked guiltily. "And _how can I help sentence someone I know I could have saved?_", he added to himself in his head.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 12:00 P.M. Sunday, February 8, 1925:**_

Three days ago, Balto faced his judgment day. The half-breed entered his darkest hour with his head held high, and his (metaphorical) fingers crossed while hoping for the best. Today, Steele did the same. Except, unlike Balto, he really couldn't have cared less about the outcome of that day's events. And the reason Balto could tell this was because Steele's face was uncharacteristically blank as he faced all the dogs that stood before him. The wolf-dog would have loved to know what was going on inside the malamute's head as he took his place among the dozens of dogs who came to witness or partake in Steele's trial.

To say the old warehouse was packed that afternoon would be understatement. Nearly every dog Balto had ever seen walking the streets had appeared that day, filling the condemned building to the brim. Lately there had been so many gatherings in Nome, but no one had complained about it yet, since they all had been for such important reasons. Of course, the reason no complained about this council was because many saw it as chance to get revenge. Some because they had suffered years of Steele's abuse, and others because Steele had endangered the lives of their owners. Of course, for Balto it was both, and then some, but ironically he was the only one there who felt the slightest bit of guilt for what they were about to do. Because Balto wasn't just thinking about getting back at Steele, but the ramifications for the malamute. Balto felt it was fitting that the trial would be held in a condemned building, since they were about to condemn someone's soul.

Neither Balto or Steele said a word to break the tense mood as Doc proceeded the usual opening speech. They only made eye contact once every few minutes, but otherwise tried to avoid looking at each other, as if both of them were ashamed things had gone this far. Though Balto knew he was just kidding himself. Steele didn't feel shame.

Did he?

Hoping to distract himself, Balto glanced all across the room, like he had with Sutherland's meetings. Grace wasn't sitting next to her boyfriend Blaze, but instead by Dixie and Sylvie. It didn't take much to guess the two had finally broken up again, but Balto didn't know why (and really didn't care why). Dixie and Sylvie looked excited, as to be expected. Steele had burned Dixie pretty badly, and no doubt show dog wouldn't mind seeing the malamute get his just deserts.

The same could be said of Nikki, Kaltag, and Star. However, they looked less excited, and more pissed than Dixie and Sylvie did. They were glaring at Steele every few minutes, though their ex-boss pretended not to notice them. Kaltag looked the angriest, since he was the one Steele had tried to dice and slice the other week. Balto knew that the only thing Kaltag regretted about that day was that the canine court would handle Steele, and that he would never get a chance to challenge him to a rematch. The two proud dogs would have beat each other to death if Doc let them. Neither one would be willing to back down until the other one admitted defeat, and Balto shuddered to think how far things would go if that day ever did come.

Eventually, he decided to change the morbid subject that he himself brought up, and refocused his attention on the other side of the warehouse. Of course, Blaze was there (there was no way he would miss this. He'd rather die than miss it), but unlike his idol/mentor, Blaze wasn't quite as reserved. The husky looked furious. Like he could bite off someone's head if they so much as touched him.

But surprisingly, it didn't seem to be Balto that his rage was directed towards, since the sled dog wasn't looking at him. Instead he was staring daggers at Grace's side of the room, and for a moment Balto wondered if this was about the break-up, until he realized that Blaze wasn't looking at his old lover, but instead at Jenna's girlfriends. That puzzled Balto. What did Blaze have against them? Dixie and Sylvie had never done anything to him, had they?

If only he knew.

When Doc called forth the first witness, Balto finally turned his attention back to the trial. One by one, Nikki, Kaltag, and Star approached the (imaginary) stand, and gave their own not-so biased accounts of what happened at the serum run. Dixie and Sylvie were next, who told everyone about the lies Steele told them in the Old Mill. Each time one of them spoke, Doc asked Steele if he denied their claims, and to everyone's surprise his response was the same every time. "No", the malamute would say indifferently. It was the first time Steele had confessed to doing anything wrong in his life. And no one could understand why he was doing it, not even his oldest adversary.

When it came Balto's time to testify, the half-breed sucked in his breath, and put on his best brave face as he prepared to do something he never thought he'd do for the greater good. But like Jenna said, sometimes being a citizen meant taking the good with the bad all for the sake of the greater good.

The husky, much like the dog on trial, stayed cool and reserved as Doc proceeded to ask him questions about the defendant. Since the Saint Bernard leading the jury was the pet of the judge, he naturally took everything very seriously, and made sure he didn't overlook any important details. "Balto, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god?", Doc asked.

"I do", Balto replied.

"According to the testimony of your teammates, Steele attempted to kill you, several times. And when those times failed, he sabotaged the serum run so you and the others could freeze to death in the blizzard. Is that true?", the Saint Bernard asked formally.

"It is your honor", Balto answered, glancing at Steele to see how his rival was taking all this. Surprisingly and unsurprisingly at the same time, Steele still seemed unfazed by all this, his blank expression not budging an inch the whole time. Like he was determined to show no kind of emotion.

"Is it true that Steele made another attempt on yours, Jenna's, Star's, and Kaltag's life on Tuesday, February 3?", Doc continued.

"That is also true your honor", Balto replied, though he seemed distracted this time, like he was also thinking about something. Which he was. His guilt was still bothering him, along with that crazy little thought that had been festering inside his head since the sun rose that morning.

"Then that will be-", Doc said, right before he was shockingly interrupted by the star witness.

"Your honor, if you'll allow me to do so, I'd like to say one last thing before I return to my mate's side", Balto requested.

Doc raised his eyebrow, surprised. He couldn't think of anything else Balto would want to say, but decided to allow it since he trusted the half-breed's judgment (most of the time). "If you want to", he resolved.

When Balto glanced to the side, he noticed that for the first time since the trial began, Steele actually seemed interesting in the going-ons. And the other dogs seemed even more confused. Jenna's eyebrow was raised up high, while Dixie, Sylvie, Nikki, Kaltag, and Star were all whispering to each other, no doubt asking one other what Balto was playing at.

The wolf-dog wasted no time taking a deep breath or clearing his throat, instead he jumped right into what he had to say, before he chickened out and changed his mind. "I just wanna say, I know what Steele did was heinous and unforgivable. And I know a lot of you want to see him be punished for what he did. And I completely agree with all of you that his reign of terror cannot be ignored any longer", Balto said, raising his voice so the whole warehouse could hear him.

"But just remember, when you sentence him to his fate, that he is not a monster, but a man. A man who is by all means not perfect. He knew what he was doing was wrong, and he has purposely tried to take my life more times than I can remember. But the fact that he acknowledges the difference between right and wrong proves that he has some sense of humanity", Balto continued, causing several whispers and shocked murmurs to ripple throughout the crowd. The dogs couldn't understand what was happening. Why would Balto, of all people, try to defend Steele? No one understood this, least of all Steele (whose expression went from blank to confused in a few seconds flat), except for Jenna, who smiled warmly as she watched her mate follow his heart.

"This dog that you have all satanized and prepared for slaughter these past few days was willing to risk his own life to save the lives of his owners. Something he has never done before. And I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes three nights ago. Now I know what you're thinking. That he did it for his own purposes. But what could he possibly have to gain from staring down a drunken man's shot gun and looking death in the face just for the sake of others? Nothing at all. Self sacrifice is the hardest thing any human or dog could do. And I know that from years of experience. So when you all decide the verdict, keep in mind what I just told you. Don't think of Steele as a heartless beast that needs to be destroyed, but remember what he really is. A person. Do whatever you want to him, but I'm asking you not to sentence him to death. After all, the reason we're here to judge Steele is because he almost committed murder. Would we really be better than he is if we did the same?", the wolf-dog requested, before he bowed his head (his little speech complete), and walked away.

Doc called the court to order, and Steele's face returned to it's usual expressionless mask. Balto said nothing either as he walked past his stunned friends, only nuzzling his mate and sitting down on the floor again with his peers. The wolf-dog was now guilt free. There had indeed been one last thing he could do to save Steele, and now that he had done it, his conscience was clear. It was all in the judge and jury's hands now, as they huddled together to do the final task of a trial.

Eventually, the half dozen dogs separated, and everyone knew at once that the verdict had been decided. There had never been any question about what it would be, only what would follow it. When Doc spoke, the words resonated in the room for what seemed like forever, and even though he had had days to prepare for it, they struck Balto like a wave.

"Steele, for the counts of assault, harassment, sexual harassment, crimes against humanity, and attempted murder. You have been found…guilty", Doc said calmly.

Balto closed his eyes, and on the other side of the room, Steele did the same. The rivalry had finally came to an end. But not in an epic, gladiator-like battle where only one of them could survive by taking the other's life, but instead with the townspeople denouncing Steele in the most final and anticlimactic way they could think of. Balto had always thought that when their rivalry was over, he would be the happiest dog in the world. But instead he felt empty, and a little bit sad. It was still hard to believe that their puppyhood feud had gotten this bad.

Ironically, the only shining ray of hope came in the thing that both Balto and Steele had been dreading all day, the penalty following the verdict. The only thing that had been uncertain about the trial. What the Saint Bernard said next both made a lot of people's day, and made a lot of people's jaws drop at the same time.

"For these crimes, your sentence is indefinite banishment. For those of you who don't know what that means, Steele will never be able to set foot in Nome again for the rest of his life, and he won't be allowed to make contact with any of it's citizens either", Doc proclaimed, before he broke off several cheers that had started to spread throughout the crowd.

"_However_, due to recent developments, Steele has shown he is capable of empathy, and possibly someday redemption. Because of that, I will not condemn him completely. If he ever chooses to, he can try and appeal this verdict. However, he can only this do this _once_, and he would have to have sufficient evidence of him being trustworthy for this jury to take even take his request seriously. So the chances of this ever happening are extremely slim", the Saint Bernard warned. "That is all. This court is adjourned", he barked, closing another chapter in Balto's life.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 2:00 P.M. Sunday, February 8, 1925:**_

"Can you believe that? What is Doc thinking? Giving Steele a chance of appeal. The guy can't be trusted, and he'll never change", Kaltag complained, grumbling to his friends as they walked out of the warehouse. "It's probably your fault too you know", the tan husky added, frowning at Balto while the half-breed thought to himself as usual.

"Hmm?", Balto asked, glancing at his surly friend.

"That little speech you gave about how Steele's soul is still redeemable. What a load of bull-", Kaltag said, before Balto raised his paw to stop him.

"Kal, I know how you feel about this. But deep down, you know I'm right. No matter how badly he wronged all of us, banishing Steele with a chance of appeal was the right thing to do", Balto reasoned.

Kaltag's frown deepened, but his silence meant that he knew Balto was right.

"Look, here he comes now", Dixie said sourly.

Balto, Jenna and their friends glanced over their shoulder to see Steele walking out the warehouse, surrounded by dogs who were no doubt there to make sure he didn't try to run. Not that he had anywhere to run to anymore. Curiously, they all stopped walking and looked in Balto's direction, before they started to approach the wolf-dog. Apparently, the convicted one wanted to speak to him.

"He has a lot of nerve coming over here", Sylvie scoffed.

"Don't worry pal, if he tries anything we'll back you up", Kaltag said, grinning anticipantly.

"Kal, wait. I think he just wants to talk", Balto insisted.

"About what?", Jenna asked.

"We're about to find out", the half-breed replied under his breath, as Steele finally reached them. If he Balto had been an expecting a long awkward silence, he was sorely mistaken. As usual, Steele got right to the point before anyone could question him.

"Wolf-dog, it's obvious which one of us the public wants more. For whatever reason, everyone seems to think you're better suited for my job. And normally I'd laugh at that. But these past few days, you've shown…potential. You saved my owners, and just now you stood up for me. No one's every done that before. So…thank you", the malamute said slowly (like what he was saying was actually paining him to do so).

Balto's eyes widened, along with pretty much everyone else's. This couldn't be Steele. He didn't know who this stranger was, but he couldn't possibly be the same proud, malevolent sled dog he had butted heads with for five years. But if Balto had any doubts about whether or not this was Steele he was speaking to, those doubts were destroyed when he interrupted the half-wolf's attempt to speak.

"But giving some speeches and saving a few kids doesn't make you a sled dog. This whole town is counting on you now, so you had better not screw it up half-breed. And your better take damn good care of Jenna", the malamute growled, before turning his attention to Balto's mate, who was just as confused as her fiancée about whether Steele was threatening them or trying his best to pay them a compliment.

"Jenna, I still don't know what the hell you're thinking, about to marry a half-breed. But, if you're going to get married to another man, I suppose you could do a lot worse than Balto", Steele grumbled.

Jenna shared a look with her mate, and then her friends, before facing Steele. "Steele, why are you saying all this? I know you don't really mean it", she asked.

"God Jen, do you always have to make things difficult? I'm trying to say good-bye to you", the malamute explained, frustrated.

Jenna's eyes widened again with disbelief (and a hint of suspicion), before her expression relaxed again. "Why would you want to do that?", she asked. After everything that had transpired these past days, and all the bad blood between them that had only thickened over time, she'd think the last thing Steele would want to do was say good-bye to the girl who chose his rival over him.

"Because I'm trying to bow out honorably", Steele replied.

"But…you never cared about honor before", Balto interjected.

"Look wolf-dog, are you going to keep asking questions, or are you gonna shut up and let me finish?!", Steele snapped, clenching his teeth like he was literally fighting himself to control his temper. Balto, deciding it was best not to push him too far, raised his paws in a sign of peace, though his friends still looked suspicious.

"Like I was saying before you all kept _interrupting me_, you're going to be the new lead dog now. And while I still don't think you deserve my title, you have shown a certain…tenacity. Besides, I'm not going to be here anymore, so I'm passing you the torch", Steele admitted begrudgingly. When he was realized the malamute was actually sincere about what he was saying, a smile spread across Balto's face. Curiously, this seemed to have the opposite effect on Steele. "This is the part where you're supposed to shake my hand", he growled impatiently.

"Oh", Balto said, awkwardly raising his paw. He hesitated at first. He had always dreamed of a moment like this, but the last he time he tried to shake Steele's hand his rival almost pushed him off a cliff. So naturally he wasn't so quick to trust him this time, and his friends weren't either by how close they were watching Steele's actions.

Nonetheless, Balto bite the bullet, and shoot the malamute's paw, who did the same as quickly as possible and released Balto's paw as quickly as a healthy person would if they were touching a sick man. "Balto, like I said before, you'd better not screw up. And Jenna, I know you'll be a good wife. I only wish you were mine", the malamute said, glancing at the rust and cream colored husky again.

"I wish I could say the feeling was mutual", Jenna said flatly.

Steele smirked. "Every time", he chuckled, before leaning towards her.

Jenna, like her husband-to-be, paused for a moment before letting the malamute kiss her paw. Suddenly, he lifted his head up and whispered into her ear, even though he knew her fiancée would hear him.

"Keep a close eye on him Jenna. Being a sled dog is a big responsibility, but being a sled dog's mate is an ever bigger one. If he ever starts to screw-up, I'm trusting you to get him back on track", the former sled dog requested.

When she realized he was joking, Jenna smiled. "I will", she promised.

"Good girl", he said, patting her shoulder. "_If I had had a mate like you, maybe I wouldn't have turned out this way_", he mused sadly, though he brushed off the errant thought as quickly as it appeared.

And that was all he said, before his former neighbors started to push him away from the couple again. Soon the malamute and his escorts reached the end of the street, but they didn't stop there. They kept on walking, past the city limits sign, past Balto's trawler, and past the line of trees that separated the town from the forest, disappearing out of eyeshot into the snowy woods.

As they watched their former enemy (though they didn't quite know what to call him now) be carted away into exile, Balto and Jenna knew that this was probably the last time that they'd ever see the malamute. Steele had been a part of their lives for so long now that it was a hard to imagine a world without him, even if that world was a better place. So it wasn't until the dogs returned a few minutes later, one man short this time, that it sunk in that he was really gone. But instead of feeling happy or vindicated about this, Balto and Jenna felt the same way they had that morning. Empty.

With time that sense of emptiness passed, and they all went on with their lives again, but neither of them ever forgot really forgot Steele. Tucked away in the back of their minds was the memory of a malamute who, even though he had spent his entire life as villain, finally proved that there was some potential in him to be a hero after all. Just as Balto had seen all those years ago.

_**Author's Note:**_

In case you're wondering, this chapter was the reason we never saw exactly what happened the night the town voted Balto to stay. Dramatically, it works better here. The memories of how good it feels to have somebody standing by you is what inspires Balto to do the same for Steele. Steele really meant what he said when he told Balto that no one has ever done the same for him. People have had faith in him before, but he threw that away like it was nothing. But for Balto, it's different. The people don't just believe in him, they love him. And like Balto said, that was the kind of love Steele could have found himself if he had made different choices.

And so another (literal) chapter has been closed in Balto's life, and now there's only one thing left in this story. The same thing that's been looming over the horizon and driving the Salvation trilogy since the beginning of Part 1. Steele's gone, Blaze has been subdued, Sam's incarcerated, and Daniel has admitted defeated, so now there's nothing left standing in the way of Balto and Jenna's childhood dream. As usual, feel free to post a review.


	11. Chapter 11: Vows

_**Chapter 11: The Wedding (Vows).**_

_**Nome, Alaska. 5:00 A.M. Saturday, February 14, 1925:**_

"_Balto, wake up boychic_", a voice said from out of the darkness. The wolf-dog groaned, and pawed at the air for a moment, but otherwise didn't move. "_Balto. I said wake up_", the voice prodded, annoyance leaking into his tone. Again, the hybrid seemed to stir for a few seconds, but still didn't budge. And that was when his father ran out of patience.

"For goodness' sake you lazy wolf, wake up! You're going to sleep through your whole wedding!", Boris yelled.

Balto gasped, and rolled over onto his side, slamming his head onto the wooden floor of the trawler. "Ow! Boris!", he complained.

"Hey, if you had just woke up the first time, you wouldn't have started the day with a headache", the goose said. "Now it's still night, but you and Jenna are the ones who wanted the ceremony to take place so far away from Nome, so we're gonna have start walking now just so you actually can have time to prepare and walk there", Boris reminded him.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks for waking me", Balto groaned, as the wolf-dog stretched his sore muscles. It was a week after Steele's trial. And after waiting anxiously for six days, the biggest day of Balto's life had finally come. Under normal circumstances, he would be so nervous that his feet were colder than the snow. But right now, all he could think about was how tired he still was. Nikki, Kaltag, and Star had insisted on throwing him a bachelor party (not the dirty kind, just a few guys sharing bones in the mill), and Dixie and Sylvie had did the same for the bride-to-be (their bachelorette bash was mostly just Jenna listening to her friends talk about their experiences over the years).

The only difference, Jenna was allowed to return to her home and sleep in Rosie's bedroom. But since the groom wasn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding, Dixie had insisted that he get his last night's sleep as a bachelor in the trawler. And Balto, being the gentleman he was, agreed. And of course, Muk and Luk were up for what seemed like forever, gushing about how they couldn't wait for the next morning to come.

Still, Balto wasn't going to let a few (well, more like a lot of) hours of missed sleep slow him down today. Nothing was going to ruin this wedding for him and Jenna. Besides, the annoyance he felt at Boris, Muk and Luk couldn't have been nearly as bad as what Jenna was no doubt feeling towards Dixie and Sylvie. As a grin appeared on the wolf-dog's face, he reflected on how the thought of Jenna being hassled by her friends made even the worse of headaches just…disappear.

**((()-()))**

"That's it! Up and at em girl!", Dixie shouted.

"Yeah, you don't want to sleep through your whole wedding, do you doll face? The boys are no doubt up by now", Sylvie said to her sluggish friend, as the husky walked downstairs from her owner's bedroom. What she wouldn't give to be Rosie at the moment, sleeping a like baby in her bed like the rest of the world.

"We've got a lot to do. First we've got to get that fur of yours brushed, then we've got to run over all that stuff I taught you about how to avoid tripping, then I got run over it again to Kaltag, and then-", Dixie rambled.

"Dixie stop. You're babbling again", Jenna said, cracking a smile for the first time since she woke up.

"Sorry, it's just, I've haven't done a wedding in an ages, and I'm so excited!", the show dog squealed.

"Deep breaths Dix, deep breaths", Jenna yawned, her grin widening when Dixie followed her advice.

**((()-()))**

Balto lapped up water from his dog dish the fastest he could. He knew his friends were due to meet him any minute and they had a lot of walking to do, but he couldn't go anywhere until the quenched the nine-hour thirst in his mouth.

"Oh, and Balto, you mustn't forget this!", Boris suddenly shouted from behind him. Balto rolled his eyes, and gulped his last sip of water before he turned around to face him. But just as the wolf-dog was about to swallow, the liquid was met with a lump in his throat. A long elastic band had suddenly been wrapped around his throat much too tightly, constricting his airway and preventing the water from going all the way down. Which could only mean one thing was coming next - asphyxiation.

Boris' eyes widened as he watched his son gasp for air, and roll over onto the deck. "Oh no! Not again! Don't worry boychic, I'll save you!", the goose shouted, running to the half-breed's aid. But instead of removing the thing blocking his throat, Boris started squeezing his chest, while his son clawed away at the collar on his neck. "Boris, loosen the collar!", he choked.

"Oh right", Boris said, slapping his forehead before he followed his kid's orders. Once he did, Balto gasped for air, and spit the water out his mouth so he could consume some more much-needed oxygen. And of course, that was the moment when his friends showed up, walking up the ramp.

"Hey Balto, what's taking so…long?", Kaltag said excitedly, before he noticed the wolf-dog lying on the deck, still panting like he had almost drowned.

"Maybe we should come back later", Nikki whispered.

**((()-()))**

Jenna glared at her friends, as they crowded her and her dog dish full of kibble.

"Remember Jen, you need to eat a lot for the long journey ahead of you", Dixie reminded her.

"But don't eat too much, you don't want you to gain any unnecessary weight", Sylvie advised.

"Listen. I know you two are just trying to help, but could you please go away for a few minutes, and let me finish eating my breakfast in peace!", Jenna scowled.

"Alright, alright, backing off, backing off", Dixie said, raising her paws up.

**((()-()))**

"Balto, you clean up nice", Star admired.

"Yeah, I'd hardly say you were the same dog with that collar on", Nikki added.

"I don't know why you don't wear it more", Kaltag mused.

"I feel awkward", the half-breed replied, tugging at the collar around his neck.

"Come on man, it's your wedding. You gotta dress formal. Or at least, as formal as a dog _can_ dress", Kaltag reminded him.

"You really think I don't look weird in this?", Balto asked suspiciously.

"Balto, you look fine. And at the risk of sounding like a girl, I'd even say dashing", Kaltag declared, straightening the collar the half-breed had misaligned while he was fooling with it.

"Yeah. I'd marry you", Star added, before the husky realized the double-meaning of what he had just said.

Nikki raised his eyebrow. "Are you sure all of us being bachelors is the only reason you hang out with us?", the chow-chow joked.

Star blushed, before pushing on the bigger dog's shoulder. "My point is, Jenna's a lucky girl", he specified.

"_I bet she doesn't feel lucky right now_", the hybrid thought, as he remembered the hell his fiancé was probably going through.

**((()-()))**

"_At least Balto doesn't have to put up with this_", Jenna griped, the only comfort she had as Dixie and Sylvie pulled and tugged on her fur. Eventually, she had enough. "Listen, you two can't use a hairbrush. Just give up already", she sighed, exasperated.

"No way. We'll get it eventually", Dixie said. Or at least, that's what Jenna thought she said. It was hard to tell what her and Sylvie were saying with brushes clenched between their teeth. Sometimes it really sucked not having opposable thumbs.

**((()-()))**

"Alright, I think that's everything", Balto said.

"Wait, where are those two polar bears you're friends with?", Kaltag asked.

"You're right. Muk and Luk should be here. It's not like them to miss this", Balto realized. "I'm going to go find them", he said.

"Do you have to?", Boris replied, though the goose said it so flatly, it was hard to tell whether or not he was joking.

Balto leapt off the other end of the trawler, though he didn't have to look that far before he found his quarry. The wolf-dog landed in polar bear fur and bounced off Luk's stomach, shocking the bigger bear awake. The half-breed laughed, and poked the smaller bear, Muk, in the stomach as well. "There you two are. Wake up, we're ready to go", he said.

The two rubbed their eyes, before the brothers' infamous giggling started. "Isn't this great Luk. We're actually going to go to a wedding! Our first wedding, and our buddy Balto's wedding at that!", Muk squealed.

On deck, Boris rolled his eyes while Nikki, Kaltag, and Star cringed. "Oh boy, here we go. They're worse than Dixie and Sylvie", he muttered.

**((()-()))**

"Alright, the bride is awake. She's been fed, groomed, and is now drop dead gorgeous. Sylvie, I'd say our work as bridesmaids is now done", Dixie said tearfully.

"Take a look", Sylvie said, leading her engaged friend to a mirror.

When she saw her reflection, Jenna was taken completely by surprise. Her apperance wasn't what she had been expecting at all. "Wow", she whispered. Dixie and Sylvie, despite wrestling with the brushes for what seemed like forever, had got her fur sleeker and somehow shinier than she had seen it in years (seriously, she couldn't figure out how they got it so glossy. They didn't use shampoo, conditioner, or even water the whole time). "Thanks guys", she said, hugging the two.

"Aw, yer welcome Jen", Sylvie replied, blushing.

"Besides, I know you'll do the same for us when we get married", Dixie replied.

Jenna nodded, before a funny, yet ironic thought popped into her head. "It's a shame my fur's just gonna get all messed up again when we walk to the ceremony", Jenna noted, right before Dixie said something that was very unladylike for a show dog.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 7:30 A.M. Saturday, February 14, 1925:**_

Two hours, and a LOT of walking later, the bride and groom's parties arrived at their destination. Even though there was plenty of complaining from the wedding guests (and a lot of whining from Dixie about how the wilderness was destroying all their hard work), they all had to admit that Balto and Jenna had made the right choice of venue.

The meadow, like always, was breathtaking. The sled dogs in Nome had been all across the wilderness during their careers, but somehow they had never found a place like this before. It was hard to believe that Balto had just stumbled onto by accident as a pup. But here he stood now, with his best man and his best friends by his side, waiting for his lovely bride-to-be to appear.

The wolf-dog had never been more nervous in his life, and that's saying something considering the guy fought bears, braved blizzards, outran avalanches, and participated in many 3-1 dogfights. This was what he had always dreamed of, ever since he was a kid, and it was really happening, right now. It all felt so surreal.

Of course, he and Jenna had invited all their friends, who were seated in the meadow in grid-like way that created a make-shift aisle. The bridesmaids and the groomsmen had all prepared everything, now it was all up to Jenna. Whether or not the wedding would proceed as planned depended entirely on bride walking down the aisle. And the wait for her to appear was agonizing. Of course, it only had been a few minutes, but for the groom it felt like hours.

Just when it seemed like Balto was going to lose his mind with uncertainty, Pachlebel's Canon began to play, the song that he and Jenna had chosen instead of the traditional wedding march, and the wolf-dog lifted his head up hopefully. Sure enough, at the very end of the line of dogs, he could see her coming, with Kaltag by her side.

When Jenna and her bridesmaids arrived at the wedding ceremony, they were shocked by how well Kaltag had cleaned himself up. Usually the sled dog looked just like a thug or a brute, but today he actually looked, handsome. Almost as dashing as the groom. And when he started to walk her down the aisle, he oozed confidence, like he wasn't the least bit afraid of tripping. "_Dixie trained me well_", he whispered to her, managing to get the terrified bride to at least giggle.

Balto wasn't the only one who was nervous that day. Jenna's feet were just as cold as his'. Of course, Dixie had told her this was normal. Whether you were a dog or a human, you could spend months looking forward to a wedding, but it isn't until the day actually comes that you freak out and want to run for your life. Dixie had told her that a lifetime of commitment would terrify anyone, but it wouldn't matter so long as her betrothed was really the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

She knew she was just being silly, but she also knew she wouldn't be able to shake this feeling until she saw Balto again at the altar, and was standing by his side. So she tried to take her mind off her nerves by turning to her escort. "Thanks again you for giving me away Kal", she whispered.

"It was my pleasure", the husky grinned.

As Jenna and Kaltag strolled down the field, trying their best to keep pace with the song, the flowers buried under the snow rubbed against Jenna's legs, but she hardly noticed them. She was too focused on the brown and gray dog standing on the other end of the field, the one she was making her way to. The one who was drawing her in. As soon as she saw him, waiting patiently for her arrival, all her fears disappeared like she knew they would. All she needed was to be reminded why she was doing this. This was what she had strived for since the day she meet the hybrid.

"Be careful. Remember, don't trip", Dixie said nervously. Her bridesmaids were of course right behind her and Kaltag, but she didn't even notice them as they whispered warnings to her. She was too focused on what was ahead of her now to even think about looking back, both literally and metaphorically.

She wasn't just looking at Balto anymore. She was also beginning to notice some of the other wedding guests. Boris, the goose she had met with a bit of rough start at first, was standing next to his son and the minister (Doc), as she approached. Standing on the other side of the hybrid was his two oldest friends, Muk and Luk. The two polar bears would be visible even from a mile away in the sea of dogs. But instead of being all jumpy and hyperactive as usual, for the first time in the three years she had known them, the two brothers were standing perfectly still, smiling at her as she came ever closer.

Grace had came as well, sitting between Nikki and Star, along with a few other dogs Jenna had befriended over the years. The bride also noted that Dixie had made the right choice in asking Jared and his band to perform. The Canadian dogs could do far more than play rock songs, their rendition of Pachlebel's Canon was beautiful, and perfectly fit the early morning ceremony.

When she was done scoping out the surroundings, Jenna noticed that her and Kaltag were almost at the altar, and used it as a chance to get a better look at Balto. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the collar around his neck. It was the same one Gunnar had bought for him the previous week, the one with the golden yellow tag that was the same shade as his eyes. She knew her mate hated wearing it, but the fact that he put it on just for the occasion showed how important this day was for him. Every bit as important as it was to her.

Balto smile's grew wider, as Jenna finally reached the end of her journey. She only had a few more feet to cross now. With his newly enhanced eyes, he could now see every inch of her beauty a thousand times better than he could before. The sun, which just started to rise above the surrounding treetops, bathed her and the meadow in light. It was no longer just the snow that sparkled in the sun. There was a twinkle in Jenna's eyes that Balto had never seen before, that made her beautiful hazel brown orbs all the more prominent. Her red fur, which had miraculously retained it's glossy sheen during the hike, was also glowing fiery red in the early morning sun. She was truly radiant.

"She's beautiful my son", Boris whispered into his ear.

"Yeah, she is", the wolf-dog agreed. Though it wasn't just her outer beauty that Balto admired. He wasn't that shallow. He loved everything about her, inside and out, and that was why he was standing there that day preparing to make the biggest decision of any dog's life.

When she crossed the last few inches between herself and Balto, Jenna couldn't get there fast enough. The husky said her good-byes to Kaltag, and ran up to the altar, as the music finally ended.

Naturally, the first thing Balto did when she made it there was tease her, like they often did with each other. "What took you so long?", he joked.

"You don't want to know", she said.

"I'll take your word for it", he replied, focusing his attention on Doc as the Saint Bernard cleared his throat.

"We are gathered here today to bond these two in holy matrimony", the minister began. The rest of Doc's speech wasn't that complicated. After all, like Jenna had said to her bridesmaids earlier, it was wedding of two dogs and not humans, so it's not like there was gonna be any exchanging of rings. Luckily, Doc had done this sort of thing enough times that he knew what parts were important, and what parts could afford to be left out. So the proceedings only lasted for a few minutes.

"You two may now recite your vows", he proclaimed. "Balto, you go first", he said.

"_**Rose's Theme**_" by Murray Gold begins.

The wolf-dog gulped, and cleared his throat, praying he could remember the speech he came up with since he had had no way of writing it down.

"Jenna, I was in love with you the first day we met. When you and your family rode into town, I couldn't take my eyes off of you. And as corny as this sounds, I knew then that you were the one. You made me into the dog…I mean, wolf-dog, that I am today. I would have done anything for you, and I still would. Starting today, I promise to be the best husband I can be. I will always love you. I'll be a constant provider for you, and whatever family you may someday wish to have. The only way we'll ever be separated again is when my heart inevitably stops beating. But even then, I'll be waiting for you to join me in the afterlife", the wolf-dog said, smiling.

Jenna, even though she knew how deep and sentimental her boyfriend could be (and just how strongly he felt about her), was touched that he would put so much hard work and effort to channeling those emotions into his vows. And she wasn't the only one. Sitting a few feet away, Dixie and Sylvie shared a collective 'aww', and sighed happily.

Even the usually calm and reserved minister couldn't help the smile that had appeared on his face either. In fact, it took a few seconds for him to remember that Balto finishing was his cue to continue the ceremony. "Jenna you may now recite _your_ vows", Doc said, turning towards the bride.

Jenna, just as her husband did, cleared her throat for the long speech ahead of her, and hoped that she could remember everything correctly (it really, _really_ sucked not having thumbs).

"Balto, when I first met you, you were my knight in shining armor. Now, if any of you know me well enough, you know I don't buy into that whole 'damsel in distress waiting for her hero to come save her' nonsense. But when you saved me from Devil and his gang, you were _my_ hero. And since then, you've saved me so many times, and I've saved you. But we've done so much more for each other than that. You trusted me with your secrets, and I did with mine. You comforted me on the days I missed my family, and I helped you find yourself whenever you needed advice. For the longest time, I tried to fool myself into thinking you and I were just friends. But we're a whole lot more than that. I don't need a soul-reading ability like yours to know that we're soulmates. Making the bond we share official is only one of the many reasons I've agreed to marry you today. Starting now, I promise to be the best wife I can. Loyal and trustworthy, I'll never give on you Balto, just like how you would never give up on me. And I'll never let you go…my love", the rust and cream colored husky said, blushing adorably at the end.

Even though she still wasn't finished, Dixie and Sylvie shared an even bigger 'aww' than the last time, and tried their best to fight back the salt water in their eyes. And they weren't the only ones tearing up.

"Kal, are you crying?", Nikki asked.

"I always cry at weddings", the tan husky replied, sniffling.

"But this is the first wedding you've ever been to", Star reasoned, right before Kaltag grabbed him and pulled him to the side. The husky yelped, and for a moment worried that his teammate had returned to his old violent ways, until he realized that Kaltag had grabbed him as a shoulder to cry on. And even though Star felt incredibly awkward with his much bigger friend's arm squeezing his stomach, he decided to just go with it and let Kaltag get it all out of his system. What were best friends for after all?

Meanwhile, the sun that had slowly been crawling over the skyline, finally broke free of the trees that had been obscuring it, allowing it to bathe the whole meadow in light. Including the bride and groom at the altar, who's fur glistened as they recited their final declaration.

"Forever", Jenna finished, staring into her groom's eyes.

"Forever", Balto repeated, gazing into the bride's beautiful brown orbs as well.

And that was the moment when the full gravitas of what was happening dawned on the two of them. They really were going to be together forever now. There was nothing else standing in their way anymore. Devil, Wilson, and Cookie were gone, and would probably never be seen again. Steele was gone as well, banished from his hometown by the very same people who used to worship the ground he walked on. Blaze hadn't bothered the pair since Steele's trial, and Daniel had apparently accepted defeat when it came to screwing with Balto's life. Rosie's parents had finally accepted the wolf-dog into their family, and Gunnar had declared him the new leader of his sled dog team.

The town (or at least most of it) had finally moved past their prejudices, and now there was nothing left to stop their childhood dream from becoming a reality. It had been a long and tenuous ride to get to this point in their lives, but it had all been worth it in the end. And the only thing that was left was the last part of the wedding ceremony, the part where they sealed the deal once and for all.

"Alright then. Do you Balto, take Jenna to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold? For better or for worse? In sickness or in health? And until death do you part?", Doc asked, a crucial sense of finality buried in that one simple question.

Balto wasted no time in answering. Just like how Jenna couldn't get to the altar fast enough, his response couldn't fly out of his mouth fast enough. "I do", he proclaimed.

Doc smiled, and turned towards Jenna. It was all on her now. "And do you Jenna, take Balto to be your lawfully wedded husband? For better or for worse? For sickness and in health? And until death do you part?", he asked.

If anyone had been worried that Jenna might have second thoughts, they were dead wrong. The husky answered even faster than her husband, and the firmness laced in her voice let everything know that her mind had been made up for a long time now. "I do", she said.

Doc laughed, and grinned at the pair. "Well then, by the power invested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride", the Saint Bernard declared, before he and the best man stood back so they wouldn't get in the newlyweds' way.

Around the same time the crowd started cheering (Dixie and Sylvie were screaming their hearts out, while Muk and Luk very nearly crushed Boris with hugs), Balto and Jenna leaned forward and melded their lips together, sharing their first kiss as a married couple. At that moment, the wind picked up and started blowing snow from the ground all around them, making the moment even more magical.

When they finally parted, Balto only had one thing to say to his new wife. "Have I ever told you how much I love you?", he asked.

"You could stand to say it more", she joked.

"I love you Jenna Jones", he said, hugging her.

"And I love you, Mr. Jones", she laughed, as her husband picked her up and spun her around in his arms. Both Balto and Jenna knew that if you looked up the definition of 'happiness' in the dictionary, you would find a description of that very moment. Because this was moment was bliss. Pure bliss. And they both had the rest of their lives to go from here.

_**Author's Note:**_

This was the first wedding I've ever written, and I threw in as many wedding jokes and clichés as I could think of (after all the darkness, and doom and gloom, why not have a light and fluffy wedding to top off this story?). Bringing "_**Rose's Theme**_" back for the occasion felt right and natural, since it's always sounded like something you'd hear at a wedding to me. Anyway, I hope you liked the bonding of Balto and Jenna Jones as much as I liked writing it, because there's only one chapter left in the Salvation trilogy (unless you count the acknowledgments).


	12. Chapter 12: The Man With Eleven Faces

_**Chapter 12: The Man With Eleven Faces.**_

_**Nome, Alaska. 1:00 P.M. Saturday, February 14, 1925:**_

The reception that followed was just as energetic as the ceremony. In fact, as morning turned to midday the guests were still running on an emotional high as they cheered on the wedding entertainment.

Dixie and Sylvie had been working diligently with Jared all week about thinking up a song for the reception, when Grace suddenly appeared with an idea, and they developed on it from there. At first Dixie was hesitant about playing country music at a wedding reception, but it turned out to be a real fun and upbeat song, with a message any scorned woman could relate to.

So as Jared's band played, and Grace walked up to the mic, everyone was getting it on a piece of the action. The bride and groom, along with several of their friends, served as the husky's back-up vocals.

"_**Cowboy Casanova**_" by Carrie Underwood begins.

"_**Whoa-Oh! Whoa-Oh! Whoa-Oh!**_", the crowd chanted.

"_**You better take it from me, that boy is like a disease. You run and you try, you try to hide, and you wonder why you can't get free**_", Grace began. "_**He's like a curse, he's like a drug. You'll get addicted his love. You wanna get out but he's holding you down and cause you can't live without one more tuss…**_", the husky sang, her voice trailing off as she entered the chorus.

"_**He's a good time Cowboy Casanova leaning up against the record machine. He looks like a cool drink of water but he's candy-coated misery. He's the devil in disguise, a snake with blue eyes, and he only comes out at night. He's your feelings that you don't wanna fight, you better run for you life…**_", Grace sang.

"_**Whoa-Oh! Whoa-Oh! Whoa-Oh!**_", the crowd shouted.

"_**I see that look on your face, you ain't hearing what I say, so I'll say it again cause I've been where you've been, and I know how it is, you can't get away, hey-hey**_", Grace continued. "_**Don't even look in his eyes, oh-oh, he'll tell you nothing but lies, oh-oh, and you wanna believe, and you want me to see, but you better listen to me and take my advice!**_", the husky continued, the crowd joining in again as she built towards the second chorus.

"_**He's a good time Cowboy Casanova leaning up against the record machine. He looks like a cool drink of water but he's candy-coated misery. He's the devil in disguise, a snake with blue eyes, and he only comes out at night. He's your feelings that you don't wanna fight, you better run for you life!**_", Grace and the crowd chanted, before the music slowed down again.

"_**Run, run away, don't let him mess with your mind, he'll tell you anything you wanna hear. He'll break your heart, it's just a matter of time. So just remember…**_", Grace sang, before the music exploded again.

"_**He's a good time Cowboy Casanova leaning up against the record machine! He looks like a cool drink of water but he's candy-coated misery! He's the devil in disguise, a snake with blue eyes, and he only comes out at night! He's your feelings that you don't wanna fight, you better run for you life!**_", Grace and the crowd shouted.

"_**Whoa-Oh!**_", the crowd chanted.

"_**Oh you better run for your life!**_", Grace vocalized.

"_**Whoa-Oh!**_", the crowd repeated.

"_**Oh you better run for you life!**_", Grace crooned, encouraging the bride and groom to join in with her.

"_**Whoa-Oh!**_", the crowd said one final time, before the music died down again, and applause broke out throughout the meadow.

"Yeah boys, now that's what I call country music!", Grace said, slapping Jared on the back and handing the Newfoundland the mic again.

Balto grinned, and turned towards the maid of honor. "She seems to be in a better mood", the wolf-dog noted.

"Yeah, Grace is a strong, independent woman. I knew it wouldn't take her long to get over that creep Blaze", Dixie replied.

"That reminds me, there's something I've been meaning to ask you all week. Blaze seems to hate you and Sylvie now. What did you guys do to him?", Balto asked, confused.

"Oh, he's just mad because he blames us for Grace breaking up with him", Dixie said calmly and cooly. And the reason she was able to say this with a straight face was because it was at least half the truth.

As the band started to play another tune, this one instrumental, the guests moved onto the gift-giving part of the reception. Balto and Jenna watched curiously as Dixie and Sylvie walked up to them, a long red cloth strung gently between their teeth. Eventually, they let go of it and handed it to the bride. "Jen, we got you this", Sylvie said.

Jenna cocked her to the side, trying to figure out what her gift was. When she did, her mouth dropped open. "My bandanna", she exclaimed.

"Correction, an exact duplicate of your bandanna. Since Steele tore your old one, we figured you'd like a replacement", Dixie explained.

"We had to look all across Nome for weeks to find this", Sylvie added, before walking up to her friend and tying the cloth around her neck.

"Aw, thanks you guys", Jenna said, hugging the two show dogs.

"And don't think we forgot about you Balto", Kaltag said from behind them. When the groom turned around, he was surprised to see Nikki and Kaltag working together to carry an enormous bone towards him.

"This is from my private stash. The second biggest bone I've ever found", Kaltag proclaimed proudly.

"Wow, thanks Kal, but I can't accept this", Balto said, stunned.

"Go ahead, after all it's your wedding day. Besides, I did say it's only the _second_ biggest pal", Kaltag joked.

"Well, if you say so", Balto said, before the half-breed reached down and picked up the bone in his mouth.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me", Nikki groaned.

"What? Kidding you about what?", Balto asked, his confused voice muffled by the bone in his mouth.

"Nik and I almost threw our backs out carrying this thing here, and you can just pick it up like that? I know you wolves are supposed to be stronger than us dogs, but I didn't know you were mutants", Kaltag complained, to the groom's amusement.

The time flew by fast. Soon they were on they were on one of the last songs, which was of course a slow dance. "So, where are you takin me for my honeymoon?", Jenna asked, as she snuggled next to her husband's chest.

"It's a surprise", the half-wolf replied.

"Everything's always surprises with you", Jenna mumbled.

"They make life a whole lot more fun", Balto chuckled.

When the song ended, and it seemed like the party was over, Dixie surprised everyone by taking the mic, declaring she had one last song to sing. Her only explanation for wanting to do so was that she was the maid of honor, and she couldn't let her friend's wedding end without her singing her best friend a song of her own. Also, she dragged the bride and groom onto the makeshift stage with her, telling them to jump in whenever they were ready.

"_**The Best of Both Worlds: The 2009 Movie Mix**_" by Hannah Montana begins.

"_**Best! Best! Best! Best!**_", the crowd cheered.

"_**Oh yeah! Come on! You get the limo out front, ooh-ah-ooh, hottest styles every shoe ever color. Yeah when you're famous it can be kind of fun, it's really you but no one ever discovers**_", Dixie sang. "_**In some way you're just like all your friends, but on stage you're star!**_", the show dog continued.

"_**You get the best of both worlds!**_", Dixie shouted.

"_**Whoo!**_", Sylvie added.

"_**Chill it out take it slow, then you rock out the show! You get the best of both worlds! Mix it all together and you know that it's the best of both worlds! The best of both worlds!**_", Dixie sang, the crowd joining in as usual for the chorus.

"_**Yeah!**_", Jenna cheered, to her husband's surprise.

"_**You go to movie premieres, hear your songs on the radio. Living two lives is a little weird, yeah, but school's cool cause nobody knows**_", Dixie continued.

"_**Nobody knows**_", Jenna added, before elbowing her mate in the ribs. "_**Come on, join in**_", she whispered encouragingly. And of course he hesitated. Her husband was an incredibly brave man, but (as she learned over the years) a total coward when it came to singing in public.

"_**Yeah you get to be a small town girl, but big time when you play your guitar!**_", Dixie continued.

Balto, after noticing how much fun his wife and the guests seemed to be having, took a deep breath, and decided to throw caution to the wind as he joined in the next chorus.

"_**You get the best of both worlds! Chill it out and take it slow, then you rock out the show! You get the best of both worlds! Mix it all together and you know that it's the best of both, you know the best of both worlds!**_", Dixie, the bride, and the groom shouted, their voices echoing across the field.

"_**Pictures and autographs!**_", Dixie sang.

"_**You get your face in all the magazines!**_", Grace shouted.

"_**The best is part of that-**_", Dixie continued.

"_**You get to be whoever you want to be!**_", Dixie, Sylvie, and Jenna sang.

"_**Best! Best!**_", the boys (Balto, Nikki, Kaltag, Star, and Jared) chanted.

"_**Yeah, the best of both!**_", Dixie sang.

"_**Best! Best!**_", the girls (Sylvie, Jenna, and Grace) chanted.

"_**You got the best of both!**_", Dixie continued.

"_**Best! Best!**_", Muk and Luk added.

"_**Come on, the best of both!**_", Dixie shouted, grinning.

"_**Who would have thought that a girl like me would double as a superstar?**_", Dixie and the girls continued. "_**WHOO!**_", the show dog yelled.

"_**You get the best of both worlds! Chill it out take it slow, then you rock out the show!**_", Dixie continued.

"_**Yeah!**_", Jenna laughed.

"_**You get the best of both worlds! Mix it all together and you know that it's the best!**_", Dixie continued. "_**The best!**_", Balto added.

"_**You get the best of both worlds! Without the shades and the hairs, you can go anywhere! You get the best of both girls!**_", Dixie sang.

"_**Both girls!**_", the bride sang.

"_**Mix it all together!**_", the show dog sang.

"_**Oh yeah!**_", Sylvie added.

"_**Yeah!**_", Grace vocalized.

"_**It's so much better cause you know you've got the best of both worlds! Ha-ha!**_", Dixie finished, before throwing the mic to the ground and diving into the crowd of fellow dogs. And that was how one of the greatest days in Balto and Jenna's lives ended. In the usual way - with a song.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 4:00 P.M. Saturday, February 14, 1925:**_

Even though the party was finally starting to die down, the cheering could still be heard for miles around. Though the woodland animals hardly paid attention to the noise the town dogs were making, no one but one particular person, who was a town dog himself. Or rather, he used to be. Steele had promised himself that he would stay away, but no matter how much he wanted to be strong, he still found himself drawn to Balto and Jenna's wedding that day. Because if he was about to lose Jenna to another man, he wanted to witness it. That was the reason he had stuck around Nome's surrounding area for the past week.

He had got lucky. Balto and Jenna had decided to have an outdoors wedding in the middle of a field. If they had chosen to have one in town it would have been next to impossible for him to watch them from afar. Though he didn't really feel that lucky at the moment, and he almost wished it _had_ been an indoor wedding considering how much torture he put himself through watching it. He wasn't angry at Balto for stealing Jenna at away from him. No, he had long gotten over that.

Jenna had always insisted that Balto was a good dog, but Steele had always been blinded by prejudice and petty jealousy to even take her seriously. But after everything that had happened the past few days, after his plan to ruin Balto had been foiled by the humans' loyalty, it was impossible to deny anymore that everyone else in town agreed with her. Of course, he had refused to believe it until Balto saved him and his boys from Samuel. And then the wolf-dog made another selfless choice by defending him in court. It wasn't until then that Steele realized that he had spent his entire life trying to destroy the one person who believed in him. The only one who cared enough to try to change him. Of course, by then it was too late. So the only thing he could do was try to swallow his pride and accept that Balto was a better dog than him.

So no, he wasn't jealous of Balto anymore. Well, maybe a little jealous, but not the murderous kind. It was guilt and self-pity that killed him when he watched the couple's wedding. When he saw Balto and Jenna proclaim their love to each other, he realized that Balto was right about how that could have been his life, if he had only made different choices. But any chance for that life was long gone now, and the only life that awaited him now was deep within the forest, where no dog dared to thread by himself. No dog except Steele.

Now that the wedding was over, and his last ties to Nome were severed, Steele knew there was no reason for him to keep hanging around town anymore. And there was no reason for him to wear the champion collar around his neck either. He didn't deserve it. He never had. He wouldn't be needing it where he was going. So while Balto embraced the collar around his neck and the future that came with it, Steele tore his away from his skin, and denounced the memories of his old life that it embodied. His last bit of identity slipped between his paws and landed with a plop onto the snow. It would be buried with snow overnight, and lost forever.

From this moment on, Steele, the once proud of champion of Nome, now the cold-hearted bastard who failed the serum run, was dead. And he wanted nothing more for it to stay that way. At least a new life in the forest provided him with a chance to forget the pain of his mistakes.

**((()-()))**

_**Nome, Alaska. 10:00 P.M. Saturday, February 14, 1925:**_

Late that night, a white wolf walked into a cave. Except this wasn't just any white wolf, it was the same one who Balto had howled with on the night of the serum run. He had been called to this particular location by his second-in-command Chee. Most people would question why Chee was putting on this cloak-and-dagger routine, but Kemo knew that his friend had a rare talent that he hid from everyone else in the pack besides his alpha male and female. The gift of prophecy. This was no doubt the reason Chee was sitting in the shadows of the cave, seeming out of it like he always did when he had a vision.

"_**The Doctor's Theme**_" by Murray Gold begins.

"Chee, what are you seeing?", Kemo asked.

His beta wasted no time in answering. "I am seeing events that will transpire two lunar cycles from now, and how 'he' will save us all", his beta replied eerily.

"Is this about Balto?", the white wolf asked hopefully.

"Yes and no. The one you are looking for is present, but he is not the center of this vision. No, I am referring to the one who will change the course of history", Chee replied, to his friend/leader's confusion.

"And who's that?", Kemo asked.

"The man who has eleven faces. The one who travels with the last centurion, the girl who waited, and the child of the TARDIS. I am referring Kemo to the immortal time traveler, the madman with a box", Chee specified.

"The mad what? Chee you're not making any sense", Kemo said, frustrated. Usually his friend's visions were simpler than this. They were usually about events involving the humans, like the completion of a nearby railroad, or some avalanche coming up. But this time Chee was speaking total gibberish, nonsense about history and time.

"I am making perfect sense Kemo. In two months time, the nearby town will be visited by a man from the future. A man who's known by a thousand names but yet has no name. A man who has saved our world more times than we will ever know. I am referring to the Doctor, Kemo. The Doctor and his TARDIS are coming. And if the Doctor is coming here to our time, it means we are all in grave danger", Chee said cryptically.

Even though Kemo still didn't understand a word he was saying, when he saw the way his friend was shaking from the horror of whatever was flashing before him, chills went up the white wolf's spine. If this Doctor person was some sort of universal savior, then why would be coming to a small village like Nome? What kind of grave danger was Chee seeing? And most importantly, what connection did the Doctor have with Balto? None of it made any sense unless you had some mystical connection to the universe like Chee did. Still, as creepy as Chee's vision was, it did prove one thing. Balto was still alive, which meant his quest to find the half-wolf had not been in vain after all. And now he and his pack knew where to look. Nome, Alaska.

THE END.

_**Author's Note:**_

Duh, duh, duh. Doctor Who crossover fic looming. I know what you're thinking. 'How could he do this to us? Promise us an ending and then leave us all on suspense again?!'. Well, to be fair, if you're writing a series of stories, you never finish one without planting the seeds for the next one. Except, that 'grave danger' stuff actually doesn't happen in the next one, and it won't until another few stories down the line. The next installment in the "_**Heritage of the Wolf**_" series is "_**Leviticus**_", which as you can guess by the title sheds light on Blaze's backstory. But it also details Balto and Jenna's first few days together as husband and wife.

However, before you get your hopes up, I'm gonna tell you now that that one won't be written any time soon either. I know you all hate me by now, but I'm not gonna lead you on by promising you that it'll be written a few weeks from now. If there's any lesson I've learned over this past year, it's being careful about what I promise people. Anyway, before you turn away from this story, I insist that you stick around for the acknowledgments. I have messages for everyone who reviewed this story, and even if you didn't review this fic, you should still check it out anyway since it's something all of you should read.


	13. Chapter 13: Acknowledgments

_**Chapter 13: Acknowledgments and Afterthoughts.**_

_**Afterthoughts:**_

Writing the final chapter of the "_**Salvation**_" trilogy was like closing another chapter in my life as well as Balto's. Salvation, Part 1 and Part 2 were the first fics I ever wrote, and I spent this entire year looking forward to writing the finale. Of course, there'll be other "_**Heritage of the Wolf**_" fics after this (there's a list of stories in the first season further below), but this opening trilogy has been a part of my year for so long it feels closing it. That having been said, I'm also relieved. I know I said I'll be careful promising you guys stuff from now on, but I can you tell this safely, I'll never write another story that's longer than two parts again for a long, long time.

Part 1 was the origin story of Balto, Jenna, and Steele. It was all about how they came to be locked in the love triangle that complicates their lives, and eventually seals their fates in the serum run. Part 2 was about change, and the process of accepting change. And finally, Part 3 was about Balto not only accepting his responsibilities as a leader and a hero, but as a savior (which is why this fic is titled 'Salvation').

My highlights from the entire trilogy would be, Balto proposing to Jenna, Balto rescuing Jenna and taking her to his trawler for the first time, Jenna rocking the Old Mill, Balto saving Jenna from Steele and Devil, Balto going to Jenna's home for the first time as Rosie's new pet, Jenna's first trip to Balto's meadow, the town voting Balto as the team's new leader, Balto, Jenna, and Kaltag facing Steele in the town's square, Balto confronting Blaze in the Old Mill, Steele's trial, and of course, Balto and Jenna's wedding. And of course, almost none of these scenes would have be written the way they did if it hadn't been Murray Gold's score from the Doctor Who soundtrack, which is why I've included my twenty favorite score tracks from the trilogy.

* _**Doctor Who XI**_ - For nearly fifty years now, whenever Whovians like me have tuned into their favorite sci-fi show, this is one of the first things they hear at the opening of the episode. The Doctor Who theme song has been rearranged and remixed countless times, but the arrangement from the Matt Smith era is one of my personal favorites (that and the David Tennant rock and roll one that everyone seemed to hate for so reason), which is why it kicks off every one of my "_**Heritage of the Wolf**_" fics.

* _**Balto Brings the Medicine**_ - There is something about James Horner's score for "_**Balto**_" that brings me to tears every time I listen to it. This, and the track "_**Heritage of the Wolf**_" (from the famous white wolf scene), are two of the most powerful and tear-inducing pieces from the film. Also, if you wanna listen to some other awe-inspiring tracks from the previous century, I recommend (1) "_**Main Titles**_" from the "_**Back to the Future, Part II**_" soundtrack, which gives you an idea of how exciting it would be rocket into the future and visit times unknown and (2) "_**In Training**_", another James Horner score from "_**An American Tail: Fievel Goes West**_" which in my opinion perfectly embodies the spirit of the Old West (or at least, the glamorized, romantic version that's featured in old movies).

* _**A Lonely Decision**_ - One of the most defining moments in Amy Pond's tenure as a companion was in the climax of "_**The Beast Below**_" when she followed her heart and defied the Doctor for the first time in order to keep him from making a horrible mistake. In the end, Amy's leap of faith ended up saving an innocent, misunderstood life. And that's what this piece is all about, throwing common sense and rational thought to the wind and trusting your gut to make the right choice. Which is why this track was used during Balto's proposal. It's also a favorite of mine because it's a very poignant and bittersweet song, like something you'd hear in the Titanic's score.

* _**Little Amy**_ - Do you all remember what it was like being a child? Thinking the world is a much simpler, happier place while being blissful unaware of all that dangers that surround you? That's what "_**Little Amy**_" represents, childhood innocence. The same kind of innocence Jenna and Amy Pond had before their lives were irrevocably changed.

* _**Roman Paradox**_ - The Doctor: "_Rory I need you to get me out of the Pandorica_". Rory: "_But you're not in the Pandorica_". The Doctor: "_No I'm not, well yes I am. Well, I was back then but I'm not now. Time travel, can't keep it straight in your head_". This fun, dizzying, and confusing track was used in the first chase scene of Part 1. It's also the first we hear of Balto's motif, which continues to appear throughout the trilogy.

* _**All the Strange, Strange Creatures**_ - Everyone seemed to hate Chris Chibnall's "_**42**_" for some reason, but I always loved it (you can't call an episode of a sci-fi derivative without calling the entire show derivative. I mean, come on people. How many times have plots from old school "_**Star Trek**_" been reused in TV shows?). For two reasons, one I love chases, and that episode was filled to the brim with them ("_Burn with Martha! Burn with me!_"). And two, I LOVE this song. The electronic sounds mixed with the pounding drumbeat of the orchestra give you a perfect idea of what it's like to race against time, so it was my pleasure to include in Part 1's second chase.

* _**Martha's Theme**_ - Even though I feel her character could have been developed better sometimes, I loved Martha Jones. Martha's Theme suits her character perfectly, it's fun, sassy, and awe-inspiring in some places. Plus, you really don't hear that much jazz anymore.

* _**Can I Come With You?**_ - The day Amelia Pond's life changed was when the Doctor fell out of the sky and landed in her garden with his magical blue box, promising her that he would show her the stars. This track is another example of how a choir, when used in the right time and place, can really help to lift the music up. The song soars, as Amy's world view is changed forever, only for it to come crashing (disappointingly) back down when she realizes that the Doctor isn't going to return. It only made sense to use this breathtaking piece during Jenna's first trip to the trawler, since that's the moment when Jenna's life changes, and she starts to see the world through a half-breed's eyes.

* _**Amy's Starless Life**_ - I'll admit, some of the tracks in Part 1, like "_**Roman Paradox**_", were just fun, and this was one of them. As Jenna starts to become a bigger part of Balto's life (and a bigger part of the story), her theme starts to grow more prominent, like when she brings food to his trawler the morning after he saved her.

* _**Chicken Casanova**_ - Another short, but fun track. Used in the scene where Balto takes Jenna on her first tour of Nome, it's also the second time we hear Balto's theme. Just like with his mate, the closer we get to the climax of Part 1, the stronger the half-breed's motif gets.

* _**Rose's Theme**_ - The first place the Doctor took Rose Tyler was the end of the world, so she could learn that nothing in life lasts forever. Which turned out to be an important motif during Rose's tenure as a companion, since she was reminded of this lesson over and over again, until eventually her travels with the Doctor came tragically to an end. Which is what her theme is all about. Joyful and yet sad at the same time, "_**Rose's Theme**_" is about enjoying the wonders of life while it lasts, and sharing those experiences with the man you love. Since Jenna had a similar experience with Balto in Part 1, it only made sense to include this piece. The track sounding kind of like wedding music wasn't the only reason I used it again in Part 3. There's also a much deeper reason. It symbolize Balto and Jenna's lives coming in full circle. The first time we hear it is when Jenna tells Balto about her past realizes that she loves him, and we hear it again when that love is fully realized at their wedding.

* _**Midnight**_ - The first time I saw this titular episode of the Doctor Who, I felt the urge to look over my shoulder at night for weeks. And now I know why. This track is terrifying. It's like the polar opposite of Rose's Theme. Instead of a beautiful piano solo that leads into a full orchestra, this track is opened by the scratchy sounds of violins. What follows is this weird, moody music that eventually has you hanging on every last second, before it all explodes. I recommend you that don't listen to the track at night, if you know what's good for you. I'm not kidding.

* _**I Am The Doctor**_ - The Eleventh Doctor: "_Hello. I'm the Doctor. So basically, run_". The moment the Doctor scared away the Atraxi using only his reputation was legendary, and inspiring. It changed the way I looked at science fiction. And as much as I hate to say this, I haven't seen an American-made show yet (besides "_**Smallville**_") that reached that level of awesomeness. This track was used that first defining moment in the Eleventh Doctor's rein, when Matt Smith _becomes_ the Doctor for the first time in our eyes. I've already told you guys about how Murray perfectly embodied the spirit of the Doctor in his theme, and how it contributed greatly to the way I wrote Balto's character. If you look at my version of Balto carefully, you'll find a few traits of Matt Smith's Doctor in him, like his ability to think fast and talk even faster.

* _**The Doctor Forever**_ - A rather melancholy piece, "_**The Doctor Forever**_" is all about finding happiness and having to let it go for the sake of the greater good. A hero's life may be adventurous, but it's also very lonely, so while this track is rambunctious some places, it's also sad and moving in a lot more places.

* _**Amy in the TARDIS**_ - Balto and Jenna were separated for quite some time. Just when Jenna was starting to get used to seeing the world from an outcast's eyes, she had to go back to living as a regular dog again. So when the two reconcile three years later, and Balto takes her to his meadow, it's like nothing has changed between them and they're pups all over again. "_**Little Amy**_" and "_**Can I Come With You**_" returns in that scene to add to the sense of coming full circle from the time Jenna firsts meet Balto to the aftermath of the serum run.

* _**The Mad Man With A Box**_ - The Doctor is a very lucky man. Our mad man with a box has two very special women in his life, his TARDIS and River Song. One's a living time machine that's cleverly disguised as a phone box, and the other is an archeology professor/trained assassin. At first glance, you'd think they were all completely insane (and they are), but they're also the two coolest women you could ever meet (if they weren't just fictional characters, I would probably envy the Doctor for having such cool friends). Anyway, "_**The Mad Man With A Box**_" is the love theme that underscores their unusual love triangle. Much like "_**I Am the Doctor**_", variations of the track appeared throughout the Salvation trilogy before it's actual debut. In "_**Salvation, Part 2**_", it symbolizes the unorthodox relationship between Balto and Jenna. And even though I now think this piece fits Zhong and Shu better, I still love it.

* _**A Useful Striker**_ - Kick-butt action music. Nuff said.

* _**The Majestic Tale (Of A Madman In A Box)**_ - Neil Armstrong: "_This is one small step for man - YOU SHOULD KILL US ALL ON SIGHT! - and one big leap for mankind_". The Doctor: "_And one great whopping kick up the backside for the Silence! You just raised an army against yourself! And for a thousand generations, you'll be ordering them to destroy you every day. How fast can you run? Cause today's the day the human race throw you off their planet, and they won't even know they're doing it!_". Just like the track it was based off of, "_**I Am The Doctor**_", this British/American hybrid is fun in some places, adventurous in others, and awe-inspiring at the end. It shows you just how fierce and tenacious the Doctor and his companions can be with push comes to shove. "_**The Majestic Tale**_" is understandingly uplifting and patriotic since it was featured in an American-based story about revolution and freedom from tyranny. All in all, it's my favorite instrumental track from the entire Salvation trilogy.

* _**Locked On**_ - More kick-butt action music that combines "_**I Am The Doctor**_" with an ethereal variation of "_**The Doctor's Theme**_". Nuff said again.

* _**The Patient Centurion**_ - The last piece of the line-up. Another melancholy piece that blends Balto and Jenna's theme as they think about Steele and their future.

But it wasn't just the orchestra music that shone here. The vocal bits were just as fun and entertaining. Here are my ten favorite songs from the trilogy.

* _**See You Again**_ - One of my favorites of Miley Cyrus. Naturally, the first song we hear Dixie sing is about pursuing a boy, since that's what her one-track mind was focused on for the longest time.

* _**Rock Star**_ - Another of my favorites of Miley Cyrus (while under the penname Hannah Montana). It only makes sense that Jenna's song would be the complete opposite of Dixie's, since they have completely different personalities. While Dixie dreams of a man who'll someday take care her and sweep her off her feet, Jenna is more independent and likes to do things herself instead of relying on others. Plus, this song rocks!

* _**Let's Get Crazy**_ - I could try to analyze the meaning of this song and it's place in the story, but the truth is it has none. It's just a whole lot of fun. And the only way to enjoy it fully is to let loose and lose yourself in the song.

* _**I Wanna Know You**_ - Another sweet pop song by Hannah Montana. If you wanna listen to a light-hearted, upbeat relationship ballad on days that you feel like you're on cloud nine, I'd recommend this one.

* _**Save Me**_ - Ah, this song takes me back. Every time I listen to it, I'm reminded of the meteor shower obliterating Smallville. Mostly because the first time I heard this song was 2007, on the DVD menu for "_**Smallville's**_" first season. If any of you have ever seen more than one episode of this show, you'll remember the rock band screaming "SOMEBODY SAVE ME!" at the beginning of every episode, right after the tease. But besides the theme song, Remy Zero's insane vocals also remind me of the show's greatest visual moments, and Clark's best super-saves.

Such as, Clark being hit by Lex's Porsche (Pilot), Clark flying into a tornado to save Lana (Tempest / Vortex), Clark's first super-leap (Insurgence), Pete and Chloe driving their car off a cliff (Rush), the symbol of the House of El being burned into Clark's chest (Exile), Clark stopping Morgan Edge's get-away car (Shatter), Clark breaking into Lex's jet at 40,000 feet (Crusade), Bart Allan (the Flash) running on water (Run), Lana and Clark's witchcraft versus superpowers battle (Sacred), the second meteor shower destroying Smallville (Commencement), Clark's Fortress of Solitude rising (Arrival), Clark clinging onto a missile as it leave the Earth's atmosphere (Hidden), Clark's first fight with Brainiac (Solitude), Zod's reign of terror over Metropolis (Vessel / Zod), Green Arrow saving Lois (Arrow), the Justice League laying siege to Lex's 33.1 lab (Justice).

Clark and Lois leaping over tall buildings in a single bound (Crimson), Clark using the light of the yellow sun to defeat Bizarro, while saving the town from a dam burst (Phantom / Bizarro), Clark catching Rachel Davenport's car (Action), Doomsday crashing Chloe's wedding (Bride), the Legion's time traveling adventure (Legion), Clark stopping a monorail with his bare hands (Savior), the zombie invasion of Metropolis (Rabid), the Justice League's first team up with the Justice Society (Absolute Justice), Clark sacrificing himself to save the world (Salvation), Clark rising from the dead and catching the Daily Planet globe (Lazarus), Lois and Clark's first flight together (Collateral), and finally Clark becoming Superman (Finale).

God, I miss that show. The reason "_**Smallville's**_" theme song is included in Part 2 is not just as a homage to one of my favorite shows, but also because the show was about a young man becoming a hero, and that's what this trilogy was about, Balto learning to accept his responsibilities as a hero.

* _**Only In America**_ - I only need one word to describe this song. Patriotic. It's all about the American Dream, and what our forefathers worked so far for us to have. I've only heard a few Brooks and Dunn albums, but so far this is one my favorite songs of theirs.

* _**Simple Man**_ - Up until this year, I was not familiar with this song, or Lynard Skynard until Mojotheomegawolf mentioned it to me. As the title suggests, it's a very simple song, about a mother wishing for her son to live a simple life, but a happy one.

* _**Everything**_ - This is another song that reminds me of "_**Smallville**_". Lifehouse was never specific about what this song is about, so people have been arguing about it's meaning for years now. Some say that it's about god and religion, and others think that it's about a man professing his love to someone. Me, I think the song is about loving someone with all your heart, to the point where they're your very reason for living, and wanting so badly to be with them, but not being able to. For that reason, this song will always be in my opinion (and the opinion of hundreds of others), the sad song of Lana Lang, Clark Kent's first love. This song was first used in the "_**Pilot**_" when Clark imagines dancing with Lana in his barn, and again ten years later in "_**Homecoming**_", when Lois attends Clark's high school reunion and wonders how she'll ever be able to step out of Lana's shadow in his eyes (it's gotta suck sometimes being the second love of Superman's life).

* _**Cowboy Casanova**_ - Like I said before, when we first meet Dixie she's singing a song about boys. So it makes sense that, after all this time, she would have moved on and learned to live without them, especially after what Steele did. Which is why Dixie bonds with Grace and helps her to write this song. It's also one of my personal favorites of Carrie Underwood. Who doesn't like a good old fashioned country chorus?

* _**The Best of Both Worlds: The 2009 Movie Mix**_ - The reason I included so many Hannah Montana songs in this trilogy was because I was honoring one of my favorite shows, so it only makes sense that the last one to be featured in it was another Miley Cyrus tune. If anyone ever watched that show from 2006 to 2011, or even watched the movie, you'll recognize as it as the "_**Hannah Montana**_" theme song.

Like I said, this may be the end of the Salvation trilogy, but it's only the beginning of the "_**Heritage of the Wolf**_" series. Here's the newly revised list of stories for season 1. If any of you ever read some of Cyberwulfe's fics, you'll recognize some of these as remakes of those.

* "_**Salvation, Part 1**_".

* "_**Salvation, Part 2**_".

* "_**Salvation, Part 3**_".

* "_**Leviticus**_".

* "_**The Second Great Race of Mercy**_".

* "_**Da Svidanya, Natalya**_".

* "_**Bipolar**_".

* "_**Lone Star, Part 1**_".

* "_**Lone Star, Part 2**_".

* "_**The Call of the Wild**_".

* "_**Reunion, Part 1**_".

* "_**Reunion, Part 2**_".

* "_**Survival of the Fittest**_".

Now let's talk reviews. I was very when it came to the reviews for Part 1 and Part 2. Even though it took a while, I got a lot of helpful comments from numerous passerby's. But when it comes to the reviews for this fic, I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. Only five people reviewed.

Now I know what you're thinking right now, that five people is a pretty big number and that I'm too ungrateful to appreciate that. But if you guys will look at the reviews that have been posted for this story, you'll see what I mean. So far out of the five people who've reviewed this fic, only two of them have actually committed to reviewing (thanks Ani and Mojo). Most of the others weren't that helpful. Almost all of them had nothing to do with the content of this story, but read stuff like 'this is awesome', 'looks good', 'I'm loving this', 'this is even better than the first two', or 'please continue'. And some of those reviews are made up of just one sentence that's been stretched out _really_ long, like something you'd see in the comments for a YouTube video than a fanfic.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to be mean (at least, not intentionally). I really appreciate every review that all of you posted, and it means a lot to me that you would support me in this, but the stuff you guys posted are more like words of encouragement than reviews. When you review something, you're not just telling the author that you like what you're reading, but _why_ you like it. You tell him or her what you liked, what you disliked, what worked for you, what didn't worked, what could need improvement, what made or broke the fic, etc. Reviews are not just about facts, or encouragement, but opinion. The opinion in reviews are _crucial_, especially to an amateur writer like me. I'm sure a lot of you guys think I don't care about stuff like that (why would he care why I like his story? All that probably matters to him is that I'm reading it), but I do, I really do. Hearing other's opinions is what keeps me going.

Without _detailed_ reviews the author has no idea whether or not his writing is any good, and it can get really frustrating (especially when it comes to the music choices. It's not easy picking the right song for the right scene, whether it's vocal songs or instrumental music, and it sucks that no one ever comments on it, like it's not even important, but it is. The music contributes a lot to all three parts of "_**Salvation**_", it helps to set the mood of the stories). It's like when you tell your friend a story, the first thing you ask him when you're done is how he liked it, you don't want him to just stare at you blankly in complete silence. Or when you write a report for school, as soon as the teacher hands it back to you the next day the first thing you look at it is the grade, because you wanna know if she liked it or if your writing is any good. That's why I'm always asking people for a detailed, opinionated review, and not just one that's one sentence long. It's not because I'm greedy, but because I really _need_ them, they're what keeps me going when the writing process gets hard.

This last paragraph is a note for that anonymous user. I'm going to say this as gently as I can. You gotta stop writing reviews that are just telling me to go on. You have no idea how frustrating those are for me. I get a message in my inbox telling me new reviews for my stories have been posted, so I read them and the only thing they say is stuff like 'Pleeeeasssseee connnnttttinnnueeee!'. I know you're trying to help, but like I said, it's frustrating and it's not gonna make me write any faster. Your account is anonymous so I'm guessing you've never written a story before. So you have no idea how hard it is developing an idea for a story, mapping it out, fleshing it out, breaking it down into chapters, writing it (the hardest part), rewriting it (the easiest part), spellchecking it, posting it, and then going back over all these chapters to fix any mistakes I made the first time. All this stuff takes months to do. So all I'm asking is for you to be a little more patient and understanding. And the next time you review one of my stories, please write more than one sentence. I'm sorry if this hurt your feelings, but I always ask people to be honest with me, and I try to do the same with others, so I hope you'll understand.

Okay, now that I'm done venting, let's move onto the acknowledgments. Below is a list of thank you's to the guys and girls who reviewed not just this story, but all three installments of the Salvation trilogy.

_**Acknowledgments:**_

* _**Kodiwolf321**_ - Even though I'm pretty sure I've already said this three or four times now, you have no idea how grateful I am for you reviewing my first story last year. No one ever forgets their first reviewer.

* _**Mojotheomegawolf**_ - Thanks for commenting on Part 1 and Part 2 for me. And thanks for making those reviews more than a few words long. The writer's block I was going through at the time was horrible, and I really needed another author's opinion about my quality of writing. I promised that you someday Part 3 would be written, and it feels great finally being able to keep that promise. After all, you've been more than a good friend to me.

* _**WolfdogmeetstheLionKing**_ - So far, you are the only person out of the many people who've reviewed all three parts that has commented on the music. Choosing tracks for these stories is half the hard work, and it's a relief to know that it hasn't gone unnoticed. You haven't posted your review for this story yet (since you usually wait until the end), but whatever it is, I know it'll be great.

* _**Animation Universe 2005**_ - This is the fifth story of mine you've reviewed, and counting. Thanks again for being so patient these last ten months for Balto and Jenna's wedding.

* _**Chickweed001**_ - Well, even though you only posted one review, I admire your honesty for confessing that you were too lazy to do it before. Besides, like the old saying goes, every little bit counts.

* _**Guest User**_ - Even though I would like for your reviews to be longer than one sentence, at least they let me know that you were reading. And I'm grateful that you've been following this story so loyally.

* _** , Exmoorpony, The Ultra Grand, DemonKing97**_ - You guys each contributed only one review, but each of those reviews touched my heart because they also let me know you guys were reading, which at the time was something I thought no one was doing.

_**Copyrights:**_

* Balto, Jenna, Steele, Nikki, Kaltag, Star, Dixie, Sylvie, Rosie, Boris, Muk, Luk, Gunnar Kaasen, Doctor Curtis Welch, Emily Morgan, and Doc are all copyrighted to Universal Studios and Amblin Animation.

* Devil, Wilson, Cookie, Jared, Kemo, and Chee are all copyrighted to Cyberwulfe and are not to be used without his permission.

* Thomas Jones, Evelyn Jones, Joseph Jones, James Avery, Daniel Sutherland, Samuel Edwards, Billy Edwards, Ethan Edwards, Frank, Sheriff Marcus, Blaze, Grace, Derek, Zeke, Mark, Jimmy, Mac, and Rocky are copyrighted to The Cool Kat, and are not to be used without my permission.

_**Licensing:**_

* "_**Doctor Who XI, Victory of the Daleks, Corridors and Fire Escapes, I See You Silence, Time is Moving, A Troubled Man, Little Amy, Martha Triumphant, The Majestic Tale (Of A Madman In A Box), You're A Dead Man, Locked On, The Patient Centurion, Rose's Theme, **_and _**The Doctor's Theme**_" are all copyrighted to Silva Screen Records and BBC Studios.

* "_**The Best of Both Worlds: The 2009 Movie Mix**_" is copyrighted to Walt Disney Records.

* "_**Everything**_" is copyrighted is to Warner Brother Records.

* "_**Simple Man**_" is copyrighted to (TBA).

* "_**Cowboy Casanova**_" is copyrighted to (TBA).

Well, that's all of it. For the next two months, I'll be writing a whole boat-load of stories for the Kung Fu Panda category. Until next time, The Cool Kat.


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